Valencio's Story, Part Two
by Veronice
Summary: Most wizards consider Medjkind (muggles) vastly inferior humans, and many use them as they choose. This is the story of Valencio Durano, taken by the Khatabi Family when he was twelve. In this story, the 'Great Wizard,' once known as Harry Potter, finally makes an appearance
1. Chapter 1

9

_Welcome, reader._

_This lengthy story is a part of the series that starts with 'Book One, The Defeat of Voldemort.' These stories are fanfiction, and owe their existence to J. K. Rowling. _

_By this time in the series, Harry Potter is very old. He is also uniquely powerful, and he is unique in that he does not appear to be ageing at anything like a normal rate. He still appears young. He is known as Henry Bellamy, later John Bellamy. _

_But this is Valencio's Story rather than Bellamy's. Valencio is a character in Book Ten and in Book eXtra, and this book overlaps them both. Bellamy only appears in Valencio's Story, Part One, as an occasional mention of a 'Great Wizard.' In Part Two, however, he plays a vitally important role. _

_Valencio's Story__ is rated for mature readers. It is about abuse of ordinary people by wizards, especially including sexual abuse and slavery. There is heartbreak, despair and attempted suicide. There is also courage, friendship, and eventual rescue and recovery._

_x Divider x_

_For future reference, I have included lists of characters, explanations of terms used and a list of notable spells right here at the beginning._

_Terms used__: _

_Anirage: _Wizardkind_. _

_Ani & Ania: _wizards & witches.

_Medjkind or Medj: _Humans without magic. The Khatabis refer to them as dirt-people.

_Cam-Medj: _A child born to wizards but without magic.

_Dassier, Dachier, Dassio, _names for Minister of Magic.The British Ministry of Magic is known as the DMT.

_Auror: _This term was coined by J. K. Rowling. An auror is like a policeman and soldier combined.

_AOCWN: _Association of Civilised Wizarding Nations. The headquarters is in Denmark.

_AAAN: _Association of Arabic nations.

_Deruchnia: _the Aniragi word for Dementor.

_NP:_ This is the currency of the UK at the time of the story. (New Pounds)

'_App Box:' transports small groups of people by apparation. _

_Pendreiya: _a binding hypnotic order, reinforced by magic

_The Pluravista - _Graduation/Debut ceremony The Pluravista - Graduation/Debut ceremony

_Ref injection: _an annual injection, routine for sexually active medj, that protects against STDs.

List of Characters:

Carol Kennedy: leader in Enclosure 2

Helene: leader in Enclosure 1

Hilde: former leader in Enclosure 1

Clarence : Middle-aged. The only other male in the enclosures aside from Valencio. Clarence marries Bernice.

Emma: timid. She was just six when taken for Enclosure 1.

Gloria: was very popular when in Enclosure 1, but found Enclosure 2 difficult. Close friend of Maliwan.

Tasha: Played a role in helping Valencio survive Enclosure 1, and later marries him.

Brigitta, Inge and Evita: These girls were taken for the young Tashfin Khatabi. Brigitta became the favourite of Abensur, Evita was a favourite of Ruichi for a time.

Adelbert:

Adolfina:

Amber:

Amreeta: Malay

Angini: she and Veronica start a hairdresser, first for men, then for men and women.

Astra:

Belinda: very fair, vague. She plays the piano.

Bernice: timid, religious. Marries Clarence, and the pair take over the catering at Loch Lomand.

Bridget: Vivid red hair. After freedom, she chooses to work in a high-class Paris brothel

Catherina, Monik, Mareeta: middle-aged

Deirdre:

Didi and Mildred: After freedom, they start a bookshop

Eva and Lucy: These women were first in New York, then Japan, and only after that, Morocco.

Farfalla: Greek.

Georgia:

Ingrid:

Kaede: the oldest of the slaves, over 60 when Bellamy freed them. Polynesian. She acted as teacher for the children.

Kaliska:

Kwai-Jeeha: over 60 when Bellamy freed them.

Maharni: Becomes a dress designer.

Maliwan: Thai. Maliwan is a particular friend of Gloria's. Starts a frock shop in Bogridge in partnership with Sheila.

Margaret: former gymnast. Margaret is a particular friend of Valencio's

Mariabella: favourite of Hicham. Later, at Loch Lomand, in charge of house-keeping.

Marietta:

Mary and Connie: Older slaves. Irish, taken young, now middle-aged.

Nikola: After freedom, chooses to work in a high-class Paris brothel.

Rosnita:

Sheila: Starts a frock shop in Bogridge in partnership with Maliwan.

Sheri:

Shirley: Shirley was a particular friend of Valencio's, especially when in Enclosure 1.

Tatiana:

Thierry: timid after an encounter with a particularly sadistic wizard.

Tiffany: The first to leave Loch Lomand. She marries Can McGonnigal.

Treen:

Veronica: she and Angina start a hairdresser, first for men, then for men and women.

From Enclosure 3:

Jimmy Rawlings: who was subject to repeated Confusion spells. He was the only one from Enclosure 3 who wound up in Loch Lomand

Khatabis:

Khatabi-Vrie are the Elders.

_Grandmother Riza:_ the matriarch.

_Yiko:_ second after Riza, and her son. After Bellamy imposed a Pendreiya, he was harmless, and unable to leave Japan.

_Zhor and Najia Khatabi_: Both left the family while still young, but returned to take over.

_Adil:_ Khatabi Elder. One of those dispersed by Bellamy, 'the Great Wizard.'

_Ahjmed_: powerful fighter, the worst in terms of cruelty. One of those dispersed by Bellamy.

_Brahim_: Khatabi Elder, powerful fighter. One of those dispersed by Bellamy.

_Faheem:_ Valencio's first 'owner.' One of those dispersed by Bellamy.

_Hicham_: Khatabi Elder. Bellamy imposed a Pendreiya, making him harmless. He was unable to leave Morocco.

_Narzu-Han:_ a Khatabi Elder. Formerly Valencio's owner. He was one of those dispersed by Bellamy, but managed to overcome the Pendreiya (to a degree) and became Narzu-Han Khattak, who took power in Turkey.

_Haru:_ teacher

_Bouchra_: Bouchra was crippled by a spell, and was effectively a prisoner for most of her life.

_Tashfin_: powerful, cruel. He was killed when he was just fourteen. He was the sire of Hasina's baby, (a young woman kidnapped for the purpose.)

_Hamza and Tahar_: The brothers were taken away before the Sorting, returned, but left again when Zhor and Najia took over.

Khatabi-Richi, the servant class.

_Abensur:_ Enclosure overseer

_Abimael_: Quite old and with only one leg. (former Fighter) He is a gardener.

_Amani_: quite old

_Botan_: Fighter, scarred on his face from an attack by Valencio. One of the most cruel of the Khatabi-Richi

_Fahada:_ Normally works in Japan. He is very big. He badly hurt Valencio once.

_Fudo: _In charge of the Fighting forces

_Kamchatsu_: second in charge to Abensur.

_Kofi-Zee:_ enclosure guard, later, gardener.

_Pervez:_ Was 'spotter' for Enclosure 1, and was instrumental in capturing nearly all of the younger slaves including Valencio.

_Rafu: _Fighter and guard.

_Ryuichi:_ manager.

_Thuli: _Fighter and guard.

_Zeeko,_ _Chippo _and _Shar-kutsu:_ maintenance workers

_Zola_: healer

_x Divider x_

Bellamy's family: Bellamy is the wizard who started out as Rowling's Harry Potter. He is now very old, and is unique in that he does not appear to age.

Pat Howard: his wife. Pat is medj. She dies quite early in this story

Susan: oldest daughter of Bellamy and Pat. When grown, she marries Marcus Pickering, a neighbour. They have a son called Charlie

Lesley: When grown, she has a large bookshop and marries Dallas Weasley

Mary: When grown, she marries Bill Davenport, a Healer.

His dogs: Trey and Shaz

His horse: Madigan

Workers at Loch Lomand

Michael & Dot Bruce: managing Loch Lomand. They have a small son called Robin.

Therese and Katrina Abercrombie: red-headed twins, middle-aged. Helpers at Loch Lomand

Svetlana: (medj)

Other employees of Bellamy

Kitty & Sidney Bourne, Luke, Ross & Ryan Bourne.

Archie & Ursula Barnes, Peter & Gabriel Barnes, and Oliver Barnes

Victor Armitage: in charge of the horses. Heavily built, with a full beard, Cam-medj.

Melanie Hargreaves: Victor's assistant. She works at Loch Lomand for a time.

Employees of Bellamy

Archie & Ursula Barnes:

Peter & Gabriel Barnes:

Oliver Barnes marries Vivienne Howard,

Chris Barnes, the son of Oliver & Vivienne_. _

Kitty & Sidney Bourne: Sidney is Manager, Kitty in charge of house-keeping.

Luke, Ross & Ryan Bourne.

Other characters mentioned:

Pierre Tranter: Dachier of Britain

Bryce McKenzie: Ministry Healer

Dieter: Chief Auror, and auror in charge of Bellamy's spell-breaking team

Jeremy: Often acted as bodyguard for Bellamy. Tall, lean, walks like a panther. Gloria was interested in him.

Joyce: Ministry Healer

Paul Pickering: a neighbour of Bellamy's. Paul handles Bellamy's 'Line of Sheba' stud, and has his own stud of Andalusians. Marcus is his son, Helena his medj wife. Marcus later marries Susan Bellamy.

_x Divider x_

Spells

Spells are loosely divided into categories, though all of them are spells. _Curses_ are unpleasant spells, sometimes crippling or fatal, _Vidi-Curses_ the minor curses, usually painless, but making the recipient appear foolish. _Crio Magic_ refers to a certain type of spell that is put on something to have a desired effect, usually indefinite in duration. An example is that the fences of the Khatabi enclosures cause pain to any medj who has any sustained contact with them.

_The Cha Keeyo Curse__:_ Causes total and irreversable loss of mind. Difficult to perform.

_Cloaking Spell_: Common, easily performed. It has the effect that a person or thing is not likely to be noticed unless attention is specifically drawn to it. Its effectiveness varies with the power of the wizard. Sometimes called 'Don't Notice Me' spell.

_The Compulsion Spell_: A victim feels calmly contented, does not feel pain, and does whatever he is commanded by the one who has control. Instructions do not need to be verbal - the magic enables non-verbal instructions to be received, and acted upon. In civilised countries, it is illegal in all circumstances. Difficult to perform.

_The Confusion Spell_: Causes the subject to be confused for at least a half hour after the spell, and renders memory of the preceding half hour very vague. Far easier to perform than Memory Modification, but unreliable.

_The Crocodile Spell_: Causes skin all over the body to turn thick and crocodile-like.

_The Felohu Curse:_ A victim can stand for a short time, and take a few steps. More movement is prevented by rapidly escalating pain.

_Filuah Kay Spell_: Makes a person very feeble, unable to fight or struggle.

_The Hinda-Dreay Spell_: A simple spell that vanishes all body hair from everywhere except head, armpits and pubic area. Variations completely denude, or leave just head hair, or head hair and facial hair.

_Meedeferi Magic_: Provides an image of the last hour of a person's life. Requires great skill.

_The Nala Spell:_ Vanishes a woman's uterus.

_The Nroko Uviki__:_ Renders a man sterile, although capable of normal sexual function. It is irreversable.

_The Spell of Pain_: A curse that causes excruciating pain. In civilised countries, it is illegal in all circumstances. Difficult to perform.

_Paralysis Spell__:_ Can be total paralysis, semi-paralysis, three-quarter paralysis, or Prindi Paralysis, which leaves the head and neck free.

_The Semnor Curse_: Inflicts a skin condition - itchy red skin, punctuated with warts, boils, pimples and abscesses. Easy to inflict, but often difficult to undo.

x Divider x

The Khatabi-Richi stripe system

yellow 'flash' worn on the right shoulder: denotes Khatabi-Richi.

broad green stripe worn on the right shoulder: fully qualified Fighter. Only men became Fighters.

A narrow red stripe worn on the left shoulder - Healer.

brown stripe on the left shoulder: qualified in maintenance

Blue stripe, left shoulder: pilot

white stripe, left shoulder: housekeeping

A narrow black stripe next to a stripe indicates competence in the specialty

A broad diagonal dark and light green stripes alternating: head of a section.

_x Divider x_

_x Valencio's Story x_

_Chapter 1:_

The boredom was the worst, as Valencio complained to Shirley. She looked at him teasingly, "You should be glad to be bored. Anything else than a boring life here, is usually unpleasant."

Valencio shrugged, and remarked, "I've become an expert on car engines, except that I haven't seen one in so many years, never will again, and the books are probably out of date anyway."

"I've read every book in the library, time and time again." She glanced at Valencio's right wrist cuff, and suggested, "You could probably ask Narzu-Han for more books, maybe tennis racquets, and then we'd get Abimael to make us a court either side of the low fence."

Valencio shook his head positively, "Both Yiko and Narzu-Han have forgotten me, and I like it best that way."

Abensur was Enclosure Overseer, since Nusa'pei's sudden death, and made his monthly report personally to Narzu-Han that day. "He's twenty-four now, and fit and well."

"Is he happy?"

Abensur concealed a sigh. What a question! "He's cheerful with the women, ignores the guards, the same as always."

Narzu-Han smiled, and asked, "Not too insolent?"

"He has been with Zhang occasionally, but more by a look than anything else, though it's enough to have Zhang seething. But Zhang's going to take over the job of overseeing the new enclosure in New York, so he won't see him again very likely." It was a new home the Khatabis had set up, twelve new women and girls stocking their Enclosure. No Enclosure 2 in New York, and no intention of making one.

Abensur asked, "Are you planning on joining the others in New York?"

Narzu-Han answered indifferently, "Not at this stage."

"I'm leaving Kamchatsu in charge for a few weeks, while I set it up. He's a competent Fighter, but has asked to be a permanent enclosure guard. Fudo has agreed."

"He knows to take care of my boy?"

Abensur smiled to himself. "He knows."

The women of Enclosure 1 were soon counting the days until Abensur arrived back. Abensur, at least, didn't treat them as his own private harem. As was normal with all other clients, he made an appointment in advance, and it was noted on their lists, usually by lunchtime. Kamchatsu, on the other hand, strolled around the enclosure at any time of the day, waiting to be tempted. Then a beckoning finger, and a visit to one of the working bedrooms.

At least he was quick, but he was resented. The women knew they were regarded as dirt-people, but this sort of casual use seemed so contemptuous of them as people. Abensur took more care to treat them with some dignity.

The work of those in Enclosure 2 was standard. There was an afternoon class of eight Khatabi-Richi, ranging in age from thirteen to sixteen. The Khatabi-Richi were the servant class, and were always educated separately from Khatabi, from the time of Sorting, though as far as the medj could see, there was no difference in the lessons. They had other lessons, of course, that didn't require human subjects, and they assumed there were differences there.

There was also a morning class of three Khatabi boys of thirteen and fourteen, Salo, who looked pure Arabic, Laki, a big boy for his age, and Museveni, who looked at Valencio with the eyes of Narzu-Han. Salo had mastered the Spell of Pain without trouble, Museveni not long after, but Laki was having trouble, and to everyone's relief, Haru had left it for the time being.

The lessons had been easy for them the past week, as Haru was having the boys working at making spells without the use of a wand. So far, there had not been the slightest success. The medj were convinced it was Laki that Haru was really concentrating on, and some information came in from Helene that his sire was supposed to have that ability, though demonstrated only once, when berserk with anger. He was an American wizard, and Shar-kutsu had mentioned to Amber that he'd been used as a sire four times, because the great wizard from England could work magic without a wand, and Riza wanted the ability for her Family, as well. The American would never know he had four children being raised as Khatabi.

Another hour of repeated attempts and total failure. Haru frowned, and looked at the medj subjects, who waited patiently. Valencio, Clarence, and four women. He glanced at the guards, Botan, doing a six week stint of duty as an enclosure guard, though it was the first time that Valencio had seen him since he'd hit him that time, and Kofi-Zee, who was beginning to look old.

Haru made up his mind, and on his orders, two extra guards came in, rostered ones, Hwang and Ariz. Valencio gave them a bare glance, and looked away, apparently indifferent. What did Haru have in mind that extra guards were needed?

Haru was using Japanese, though it was normally Arabic for the lessons. Valencio listened, concentrating hard, as he always did whenever Japanese was spoken. He'd learn the language properly, very quickly, if he had much opportunity. He was picking up quite a bit of what they said even now. He wasn't surprised when Laki handed Haru his wand, and Haru switched to Arabic, and told Clarence he was to try and attack Laki. Clarence queried the order. Haru changed to English, and repeated the instructions, slowly and clearly.

With obvious reluctance, Clarence took a couple of steps towards Laki, and swung at him with a fist, that never looked as if it would come within feet of the boy. Laki stared hard at him, concentrating, even made a gesture.

Clarence stepped back, looking questioningly at Haru, who ordered, "Again, and this time as if you meant it!"

Clarence tried again, but was even more unconvincing.

Haru said, "Valencio, attack Laki."

Valencio looked down his nose, and said, "What if he ends up dead?"

"There will be four wands on you. He won't end up dead. Attack Laki."

Valencio frowned at the boy, who looked thoroughly daunted, then took three swift strides forward, and swung at him, not quite grazing his cheek, as the boy ducked away.

Haru laughed, and said tauntingly, "A feeble effort. But what do you expect from a dirt-person, trained only for sex?"

Valencio looked away, waiting, not reacting to the jibe.

Haru said to Botan, "You've had him, haven't you Botan? What did you think of him? Personally, I thought it quite boring!"

Valencio was seething, but kept his face expressionless. All the boys were watching him curiously.

Salo said, "I thought he was just Narzu-Han's."

"Oh, no," Haru said. "He was in general use a long time - everyone in the Compound had him."

Kofi-Zee looked uneasily at Valencio.

Valencio said smoothly, "Are you sure it's only Laki you want me to attack?" He glanced at Botan, "When I knocked out Botan, he got whipped. Does Laki want to be whipped?"

Botan snarled, "No-one cares about you any more, dirt-boy. No-one will get whipped!"

Valencio looked down his nose at Botan, and asked softly, "Do the boys know how you were scarred?"

Didi intervened sharply, using German, telling Valencio to behave.

Valencio took his eyes off Botan, and looked indifferently into the distance, as if he was not quite there.

The boys stared at him. Haru gave more instructions, in Japanese. Laki said uncertainly, "Haru says they all had you. He says you learned to like it."

Valencio was silent.

Salo watched him, smiling slightly, and said, "I'd have you if I were allowed. Maybe one day. After all, I'm Khatabi!"

Valencio sneered, "By the time someone like you has sufficient power to claim whom you want, I'll be an old, old man. I really doubt you'll ever have me!"

Didi again, snapping his name. Valencio was going to get himself in trouble. She wished Carol or Hilde were here. Or Tasha. They could keep him calm. She'd never seen him baited like this. Haru had always taken care to treat him the same as the others.

Haru ordered, "Guards, take the women away and silence No. 15."

Kofi-Zee said, "Ariz?"

Ariz nodded, and the women were ordered out, Ariz escorting them. Valencio looked after them, and then back at the boys.

Laki shuddered, and Kofi-Zee said, "Valencio, try and hold your temper."

Haru snapped at him, "Don't interfere."

He turned his attention back to Clarence, and told him to attack Salo, then Museveni. Clarence each time, cut short his attack. Valencio explained, in German. "They're supposed to paralyse us, but not using a wand."

Museveni looked at him with even more curiosity. The dirt-people were not supposed to know Japanese. Valencio had himself under control again, and when ordered, he threw a punch at Salo, missing by an inch, and then Museveni, who didn't even bother ducking. He knew he wasn't trying.

Haru knew too. He snapped more orders. Hwang and Ariz grabbed Valencio by the arms, and held him in front of Laki, who glanced at Haru, and bravely said, "You were more popular than any other in Enclosure 1, he says. He says probably Hwang had you, probably Ariz, probably Kofi-Zee, and definitely Botan."

Botan stood back, sneering. He was very much enjoying this lesson. The guards could feel Valencio's tension. He was going to explode any minute. Did Haru realise how dangerous he could be?

Laki said, "You have to attack me, seriously attack me, and that's the order!"

Valencio abruptly twisted free of Ariz and Hwang, but stepped back, breathing fast, fists raised.

Haru snapped an order, and Laki approached. Valencio was feeling cornered. He suddenly lashed out at Hwang, who swore, and pulled away from the stinging blow.

Laki asked with an attempted sneer, "Did Hwang have you? Did it feel good?"

Valencio appeared to finally lose control, and went for him, hands around his throat, and taking him to the ground, but suddenly falling limp, paralysed. Haru said delightedly, "Well done, Laki!" He turned to the guards. "Any of you do anything?"

Laki stood up, massaging his throat, and looking bewildered. "You did it, Laki! You did the paralysis spell, and you didn't use a wand!"

Botan had his wand raised, and said to Haru, "Five minutes? Standard for attacking a wizard?"

Haru said quickly, "No punishment," and he said again, "Well done, Laki."

Valencio lay on the floor, only able to see what was directly in front of him. It was a full paralysis, and no-one seemed to be thinking of taking it off. They were probably wise. He was feeling very much like killing someone.

Kofi-Zee asked Haru, "Have you finished with the prisoners now?"

Haru said casually, "I've finished with Valencio, but I still want the other."

"Then I might just restrain Valencio a little while, until he recovers his temper."

Valencio was moved to where he could be restrained, by a strap clipped to the wrist cuff. Only then did Kofi-Zee step back out of range, and lift the paralysis spell.

Valencio pulled himself to a sitting position, and leaned back against the wall, shooting a ferocious glance at Haru, and then shutting his eyes, a heavy frown still on his face. Museveni still watched him curiously, until Valencio felt it and opened his eyes, glaring back at him. Museveni took his eyes off him.

For the rest of the lesson, it was only Clarence trying to provoke Laki into repeating the feat, but without success. Haru was unworried, glancing at the clock finally, and saying, "We'll finish now. Laki, you have done very, very well. Grandmother Riza will be extremely pleased with you."

Laki said uncertainly, "I only did it once…"

"Doing it once means you can do it again in the right circumstances. It is an ability very, very rare, and of enormous potential value."

Grandmother Riza was extremely pleased with Laki, and extremely pleased with Haru. There was applause for Laki everywhere he went, and he felt wonderful.

Salo was resentful, Museveni a little detached. They'd be going on to Advanced Combat and Control in a couple of years, using men taken for use in Enclosure 3. Museveni had decided to leave the Khatabi Family before that happened. He did not enjoy hurting people, and did not approve of the way the medj prisoner had been manipulated. He'd sensed a great anger within that one, and thought they were a little lucky that no-one had been hurt. There had been four guards all covering him with their wands, of course.

Narzu-Han heard soon enough that Laki had shown that extremely rare ability, but it was not until mid-afternoon that he heard the details. The six afternoon subjects could tell Valencio that he'd come in to the classroom looking very grim, and snapped that the lesson was finished, as he had something to say to Haru. "Haru looked green," Gloria said gleefully. "The students hurried out even before us, and we didn't hear anything else, but Haru looked green!"

More gossip came from the ones in Enclosure 1. "There was a duel, and Haru is currently crippled."

"Zola couldn't fix him, and, of course, Narzu-Han wouldn't."

Carol commented to Valencio, "It appears Narzu-Han's still protecting you, after all."

Valencio remarked, "I've spoilt my clean record. I totally lost control."

"By all accounts, Haru wanted you to lose your temper."

Valencio opened his fingers, showing a glinting piece of glass, and said, "Maybe I didn't _totally_ lose control!"

Kamchatsu had a visit from Narzu-Han as well, with the result that Botan was transferred away from enclosure duties, though he would not be working again, or doing much else, until he found someone able to undo Narzu-Han's spell.

Kamchatsu looked at Valencio with a great deal of curiosity. Even after all these years. Was he that special? Luckily for him, Narzu-Han accepted that he'd had no prior knowledge of Haru's scheme. The other guards who'd been present were reminded that Valencio was _never_ to be harassed in any way, and three Khatabi students each received a fierce warning as well.

Narzu-Han seemed to have all the details, and looked at Salo grimly, until Salo said humbly, "Please have me whipped if you choose. I am guilty of teasing your Valencio."

Narzu-Han said grimly, "If you ever do it again, I will not have you whipped, I will kill you." But then he turned and strode away, to the boys' profound relief.

The Compound emptied further, as two Khatabi mothers prudently decided to take their boys with them to New York - to improve their English. Museveni's mother was dead, but he also left for New York. Narzu-Han was rarely seen angry, and it would be best if the youngsters were well out of his sight. In any case, Haru was unable to teach, no longer with a mouth suitable for human language.

Riza, when contacted, said that she'd be returning to Morocco in a week or so, and he could wait until then, and so could Botan. The class of Khatabi-Richi left for Japan, to join the Intermediate class there.

Several boxes of new books arrived for the enclosures, and were dived on. Few books about cars for a change, but books about aeroplanes and spaceships. Adventure books, books about animals, books about mountain climbing. A few books about romance, but like previous romance books, they were virtually ignored. Romance didn't exist for slaves.

Brahim was killed in a duel with a Mellouk, and his current Favourite, Amber, was upset. Brahim had always been good to her, and now she'd have to submit to anyone who asked. She'd been the spoilt darling of rich parents, once.

_x Divider x_

It was very quiet in Morocco, most of the male Khatabis in New York, even Yiko, and almost all the women and children. Ahjmed, Adil and Hicham were enjoying making themselves feared, a couple of the younger ones, enthusiastic fighters as well. Gossip came back to the prisoners, who shared it about. There was little else to talk about, after all. There had been a lot of duelling, both between the Khatabis, and against American wizard law-keepers, who tried to protect their community from being inflicted with unpleasant spells. They were called aurors. At least the Khatabi wizards mostly left Medj alone. Ahjmed killed Usman in a duel, and Iyad killed both Tsotuno, who was only seventeen, and Ichiri.

Narzu-Han left Morocco, and they heard he'd led a rescue. Faheem and Iyad had been arrested by the American aurors, but were free again. There were whispers of a terrible revenge taken against American wizardry. The medj prisoners tended to assume that any wizard was better dead, and were unconcerned when they heard of yet another Khatabi death - Seiji.

There were only seven adult Khatabi men left now. Plus Haru, of course, and there was also supposed to be another, but very old, in Japan - a teacher.

Hicham returned to Morocco. There was a new generation in Enclosure 1, Marietta, Bridget, Angini, others, Helene still leader. Emma was still there, still only nineteen, still not popular. Two new ones arrived. Ingrid was small and blonde, just fourteen, and wore a white wristband. Treen was fifteen.

As was usual with new ones, Valencio was roped in by Kaede to start teaching them Arabic, an hour each morning, more if they wanted. Treen was sullen and resentful, hating the wizards, hating the world. Ingrid was very frightened, but by the end of the week, the scabs of scratch marks over the numbers on their arms were starting to heal.

Valencio left it to Helene to press on them the importance of absolute obedience to the wizards, and tried to cheer them up by mocking the 'bloody wizards' as he started getting them familiar with the new language they should know.

After a week, Ingrid said to him, slowly, "I have to go to Hicham tonight."

Valencio glanced uneasily at Kaede, who sat close. He didn't know what to say, and Hicham could be so rough.

Kaede said calmly, "Just try and do as he says. He may very likely claim you as Favourite, which is to your advantage."

Valencio said, "He's pretty dumb. It shouldn't be too hard to please him." And he went into an act, opening eyes wide, glistening with unshed tears, sighing piteously, saying, "Oh, Hicham. I was so frightened, but you make me feel so safe. Please, will you be my Favourite?"

Ingrid giggled, though with a suggestion of impending tears, and Kaede suggested, "Ask Mariabella. She was his Favourite before he went to New York."

Valencio added, "Astra before that, and Margaret was his for years. They all thought he was alright, as far as I know."

Ingrid said, "Helene told me he's got bad breath, and I should try hard not to make a face."

Valencio remembered Hicham's passionate kisses - he'd hated that, but at least he hadn't had bad breath then.

Treen said, "I wish I was a Favourite. Easier to have just one than a different one every night, and maybe more from tomorrow, Abensur said."

Kaede took over, and Valencio sat back, absent-mindedly removing a blade from a seam. Just innocent girls! The bastard wizards had no right!

Kaede glanced at his expressionless face, and then to his hands, as a blade passed from one to the other, and said calmly, "Thank you, Valencio. We might forget about Arabic for today. Same time tomorrow, if you will."

Valencio gathered himself, smiled at the pair, wished them luck, and walked away, his stride getting faster until he was running as hard as he could, but not in sight of the girls. Even now, it made him so terribly, terribly angry.

Enclosure 2 had some astonishing news at breakfast. Little Ingrid had resisted, but instead of forcing her, maybe punishing her, Hicham had let her out of his room, and she'd run back to the enclosure all by herself. Not only that, but she'd actually taken up a shoe, and beaten him with it!

Valencio was flabbergasted. Hicham! He remembered that first time with him, being yanked roughly to his feet because he didn't answer to 'No. 143.' That _Hicham_ could have tolerated disobedience! There was a lot of speculation. It wasn't only Valencio who found it hard to believe.

Ingrid was at the morning lesson as usual, but quiet and very apprehensive, forcibly reminding Valencio of how he'd felt the day after he'd killed Charandev. She no longer wore her white wristband, but it had not been replaced by yellow for Hicham. Could it be that the girl had lied? That she'd simply been rejected? But Hicham wasn't hard to arouse, and Ingrid was a beautiful young girl.

Kaede merely went on with the lesson as if nothing had happened, and Valencio took his cue from her. What if he'd had that opportunity? No extra guards outside the door, and she'd been outside the enclosure area, in Hicham's own room. He could have rendered him unconscious, stolen a robe, put on a casual air of assurance and power, and strolled out the gates. He grinned ruefully to himself. Nearly all the guards did their stint in the enclosure, and there would be few who didn't know him by sight. He would have made the attempt, of course. He would have been leaving Tasha and Emma and all the others. But maybe he could have brought help... Kaede said sharply, "Valencio, stop dreaming, and start teaching."

There was no word of punishment for Ingrid, not that day, and not the next. Valencio didn't hear the details, but Helene told him that Haru had chosen Ingrid from a line-up, and, naturally, had punished when she was not immediately obedient.

Helene said to him, "I've got my fingers crossed he didn't notice she was virgin. He never takes any notice of those he uses, so maybe he didn't."

But still, the wizards didn't seem to know what had happened when she'd gone to Hicham.

Daily lessons for the girls continued. Neither of them spoke to Valencio about 'work' any more, but after a while, they started to look less unhappy. They were getting accustomed to the life. It was still a mystery how a slight girl, scarcely more than a child, had managed to beat up a powerful Khatabi wizard. At last, a whisper went around, that there may have been something happen to the powerful Khatabis, maybe _all_ the powerful Khatabis. Something to do with the English wizard, Henry Bellamy. But the information was vague, and all that was known for sure was that a lot of them were travelling, none but Hicham had returned, and that there was no talk of the children returning.

Then there was something else happen that was wildly unusual. Treen gave Valencio the news, whistling at him as he ran the perimeter track. "A girl Khatabi. Smaller than Ingrid. Not at all pretty, with a nose that looks too big for her face. She appeared outside the enclosure, and asked us what we were doing here, so we told her."

"What did she say?"

"She told Abensur to show her the classrooms."

There were more details by breakfast the following morning. That her name was Zhor, that she was thirteen, and had demanded lessons. It was confirmed soon enough, when Clarence, Didi and Sheri were advised that they were needed for work, and straightaway, though there was usually notice.

They were back before lunch, and reported that Zhor was the only student, and Haru had started by just testing her on the incantations for many of the Vidi-Curses, before having her practise, first, tying up, and then stunning. Clarence moaned that he had so many bruises, but Clarence always complained, and there was anti-bruising lotion, and even a hot spa in their large enclosure, though hardly ever used.

Valencio asked, "How did she go at stunning?"

"Did it first try. She did everything first try."

Different ones the following day, and it became a regular thing, every morning. Each time they were silenced, though they were only silenced normally if they made a nuisance of themselves. By the end of the week, they had some gossip from a different source. "She's Riza's pet, showing indications of enhanced power, and a strong telepathic talent."

There were ten used the day that Valencio was included, and it seemed that Zhor was to learn to inflict some of the minor curses. Donkey ears, which seemed a standard and simple one, commonly used. Valencio loathed looking a fool, but followed his normal practice, and just looked away and tried to be patient. If he ever actually looked at a student, the guards always jumped to attention, even now.

It was Shirley's turn, the successful donkey ears making the Khatabi girl smile in pleasure. Valencio glanced at his friend, and looked away, pained. Suddenly he jumped, and stared at the arrogant Khatabi girl, who flinched and stepped back, holding her head.

Rafu and Hwang promptly raised their wands, threatening. Valencio took his eyes off the girl, and looked away as if indifferently, shutting himself off from her mind's exploration, as he'd done with Yiko and Narzu-Han.

Haru looked at him suspiciously, before starting questioning Zhor, but in Japanese. Valencio heard his name a few times, but could not understand what they were saying. Haru made up his mind, and said, "Valencio, you are not wanted any more. You are to be returned to the enclosure."

Two additional guards made their appearance. Expressionless, Valencio allowed himself to be escorted back to the enclosure.

He tried to explain to Carol - "She was looking into my mind, and I felt it, and did something to stop her, I think. Because then she was holding her head, and glaring at me."

Carol looked at him thoughtfully, and said, "Maybe it's time you thought carefully whether you might have some telepathy, and try and develop it."

Valencio replied doubtfully, "I thought only wizards could have that."

Helene told him the following day that according to Shar-kutsu, only wizards could have telepathy, and when it was detected within the Khatabis, there would be special teaching.

Valencio asked, "Nikola?"

Helene smiled, "She has him talking freely these days, and says he never seems to notice when he's being pumped for information, except that he looks at her hopefully afterwards, for his reward."

"So how are they taught?"

"He didn't seem to know, though he told her about the test they did before Sorting, trying to ensure none with the talent were made Khatabi-Richi. It starts to become stronger around mid-teens, he said, but there are always indications earlier."

Valencio said, "Well, I'll try, of course. But I've never yet known what a guard was thinking."

"Narzu-Han?"

"Occasionally, but he was different. Because he had it himself. He could talk to me without words, sometimes."

The prisoners were still unsure if anything had happened to the men, only knowing that it was very quiet, and the Khatabi-Richi were worried and unhappy. The Khatabis, both men and women, seemed to be scattered, although Yiko was back in Japan, they heard. Narzu-Han was supposed to be in Turkey, Nikola discovered from Shar-kutsu, who'd heard from Abensur.

The lessons for Zhor went on for nearly two months, but then they were abruptly cut short mid-week, when Riza returned to Morocco. Valencio had not been used again. Zhor was now proficient in all the standard control spells aside from the Pain Curse, and was skilled in numerous Vidi-Curses. She had not been taught anything painful, though the medj knew from experience that other students would have been working on the Spell of Pain at her level of competence.

Gloria was steaming one day. "Bloody witch. Elephant skin, and Haru couldn't undo it. He tried again and again, and then he tried to get her to undo it herself, and she couldn't. I thought I'd be like that forever!"

Valencio asked, "Did Hicham fix it then?"

"Haru finally managed it. I don't know why he didn't ask Hicham, but it wasn't even suggested."

Hicham's magic was failing, although word had not yet filtered through to the medj. As far as anyone knew, Zhor was the only Khatabi child left in Morocco, a few were in Japan, and the rest were presumably travelling with their mothers or teachers.

At last, there was some definite information. It came from Bridget and confirmed by Nikola, who were both experts at gathering information. That an English wizard had appeared at the gates, half hysterical, wanting to fight Riza because she'd done something dreadful to his friend, Henry Bellamy, whom they called the great wizard. It was his punishment for 'destroying' the family. That the Khatabis, men and women, were scattered around the world, some unable to be found. Nearly all the children were gone too, and that most of the Fighters were out trying to find them, only a minimum left to guard the Compound.

It was hard for them to believe. For the prisoners, the wizards were so powerful - it seemed, invincible. That Narzu-Han and Yiko could have been defeated! All the others, as well. Ahjmed, Adil, Hicham - feared all over Arabia. Defeated by just one man, Henry Bellamy, an English wizard. It was Henry Bellamy whom Brahim had gone to, to have a spell reversed. That had been years before. And now it sounded like he might have put a spell on Ahjmed, Yiko, Narzu-Han, Iyad, Hicham, Faheem and Adil.

Valencio thought of it in pleasure. He hoped Adil was suffering! But Narzu-Han? He was a bloody wizard, and he should be happy if he'd been defeated, but instead, it made him acutely uncomfortable. He laughed to himself, imagining the scenario of Narzu-Han being attacked while he was present. He'd have had to fight off the impulse to go to his defence. Maybe slaves did things like that, out of some sort of misplaced loyalty to their masters.

Speculation continued, though they took great care what they said to the wizards. The children were all gone. That was something possibly even more significant than the defeat of the men - if they really had been defeated. There were not many children anyway, as Riza had become very selective.

"There's Salo, Museveni and Laki," Shirley said. "They were Khatabi."

"There's more, too, but they're not here, not in Japan, and maybe they've gone, like several did some years ago."

"No wonder, I'd go if I were in a family like this."

"A wonder they don't clear out before the Sorting," said Valencio. "I certainly would have done."

"Leave everything you know at the age of eleven or twelve?"

"If necessary."

Kaede said, "Sterilising them at the age of thirteen. It's an atrocious breach of human rights."

"And then breeding the chosen ones like pedigree horses, or something..."

Carol said slowly, "If the children are gone, what's to become of us? They'll have no use for us."

Riza was still travelling a great deal, they heard. Yiko was in Japan, and was not travelling at all. They no longer saw Hicham, and Hicham had always used the enclosure girls, and nearly always had a Favourite. They were sure now. Something had happened, and something very significant. What was it to mean for them?

_x Divider x_

There was a Committee meeting, the leaders of Enclosures 1 and 2, Helene and Carol, and six other representatives, seen as responsible and mature. Valencio was not on the Committee, and had no aspirations to be on the Committee. He regarded the women as strong and sensible, himself as weak, apt to do stupid things.

Tiffany said, "Well, there's one child again, I had it from Abimael. Zhor had a baby boy, and dotes on him."

"It's been nine months, Hicham's frightened to leave his room, Yiko hasn't budged from Japan, and no-one's heard of Ahjmed or any of the others since."

"No women or children, either. This Bellamy has to have done something very effective."

"She destroyed his mind in revenge, and then had him dumped naked in a New York gutter - we've heard that from a few sources."

"Enclosure 2 has had no work since the two months with Zhor - that's a worry. What's going to happen to us?"

"They're ignoring us, it seems. We scarcely see Abensur any more."

Helene said, "We're not so much affected, though it's quiet. We never see Hicham, who nearly always used to have a Favourite."

"Is it true he's lost his magic?"

"Only a hint, and then Gehry looked worried, and said nothing else."

"Gehry?"

"Transferred from Japan, not long qualified as a Fighter, and terribly proud of his stripe."

"I hate to think how they get their advanced training."

Their talk was quiet, worried. They had no hope of release, whether or not the family was losing its power. There were so many now in Enclosure 2, fed, sheltered, clothed, and of no apparent use to anyone. Helene said, "You'll make sure that Valencio doesn't do anything stupid. It's best if we're very inconspicuous these days."

Carol nodded. "Hilde and I keep a close watch on him, but he keeps as far away from the wizards as possible, even the cleaner and gardener."

Valencio, that day, managed to get his hole a little deeper, hidden under a bush. There was an adjacent bush the other side of the intervening fence. He always had scratches again, but there was lotion kept in one of the bathrooms. He didn't want his scratches noticed, not even by the women, if possible. It still hurt to dig, very severely, but the concerns of the Committee were no secret, and the ability to pass items from one enclosure to another could be useful. Besides, he had nothing better to do with his time.

As Carol had suggested, he'd been trying to develop any slight telepathic talent he might have, but didn't think he had any. All the same, he was pretty sure there was no imminent threat to their lives. He thought he'd know.

_x Chapter end x_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is now 'The Great Wizard' and his name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 2:_

It was over a year later, and still there had been no hint of a cull. Valencio had been invited to Gloria's room, and now cradled her close, in her single bed. She sighed, "Thank you."

Valencio laughed, "You thank me? You know you give me enormous pleasure!"

Gloria stroked him, "Yes, but you don't need me, and I need you. I find it too hard these days, never knowing whether we'll survive another day."

Valencio kissed her, very gently. They hadn't been used in a very long time. He finally said, "I think we'd be able to tell from the guards if anything was about to happen. Like we knew when we were to be moved."

Gloria touched his wrist cuff. "Narzu-Han gone with all the others, over two years now. And now Yiko's dead. Yet you still have the colours?"

"I don't know that it means anything. Maybe Abensur has just forgotten. Or maybe thinks I'll throw a tantrum if he touches the cuffs."

"Would you?"

Valencio shrugged. He didn't know. It would be nice if they were just a touch looser, but he certainly wasn't asking. They'd been last changed when he was seventeen, but he'd grown a bit since then. Not much taller, but his wrists must be thicker. He tried to put a finger under the cuff, and couldn't.

Gloria suggested, "Why don't you ask him to take them off? You've made not the slightest trouble for so many years."

Valencio said positively, "He won't. They will never trust me, and Hilde and Carol say that I'm to keep as far away from the wizards as possible." He laughed, with some irony, "They don't trust me, either."

Abensur had not forgotten, but chose to leave them, as a reminder to the guards, and to Haru, that cruelty to Valencio could still be risky. Abensur was also a protector, though he could be as ruthless as any of the Khatabis when he chose. He wanted to try his own methods when Enclosure 3 was used again. Selection of prisoners for instance. Instead of just grabbing thirty or so men from Elbarada, what if he chose Westerners, accustomed to being safe, and so less likely to panic, and then kept them reassured with promises as long as he could? It would be a challenge, and it would be humane as well. Abensur preferred to be kind. It worked so much better that way - certainly made for better sex slaves if they were not traumatised to start with.

Not long after Yiko's death, there was some news that shook the Khatabi family, even more than the death of Yiko had. Grandmother Riza was dead. She'd been in Japan, and fifteen-year-old Zhor had travelled there all by herself, and killed her. It was because her baby had been feeble-minded, and Riza had had him put down.

The Compound emptied except for the essential guard. Even Haru went to Japan for the funeral. Hicham didn't go. It seemed he had unbreakable instructions that he was not allowed to leave his home in Morocco.

Zhor was in hiding. Treen told Valencio, "They say she's a true Khatabi, and they're searching the world. Not to kill her, but they need her to breed from. Because there's no-one left to have babies, you see."

"There's some children in Japan, aren't there?"

"Three young children, and they're here now. And there's supposed to be a boy, as well, a bit older."

Valencio still had no feeling of imminent danger, although he knew how concerned the Committee was. They were superfluous, expendable, and surely the cull couldn't be far off. Probably all of them in Enclosure 2. If they suddenly needed subjects again, they could always move a half dozen of the older ones of Enclosure 1 over. A few would normally have been put over anyway by now, but there had been no new ones since Treen and Ingrid.

He set to work on a new branch, cutting it away from one of the bigger bushes, which took all of one night and blunted most of his blades, then hiding it under the same bush, where he'd trim off excess twigs, 'tidying' it to look prettier. They still did routine sweeps with the Akriktia now and then, but it was a very long time since they'd found anything.

He'd had to give up on his hole under the divider fence. Just ten inches deep, and the pain of digging was now unendurable, just a touch almost making him faint. Instead, he tried even harder to know the minds of the wizards he saw. He was sure he could feel, sometimes, a little of the confusion and sadness of the Khatabi-Richi. Yiko gone, and then Grandmother Riza gone, who'd been there all their lives. A hundred and thirty-eight when she was killed, it was said.

It became quieter for Enclosure 1, though occasionally they heard snippets. There was fighting going on, but suddenly, it appeared things were settled. The Khatabis had a new leader, a woman, Suma Khatabi, who'd been the girls' teacher.

One evening, a few weeks after Suma took over, Helene hurried to the fence where they always held the Committee meetings, and whistled. Valencio, who'd been wandering in the dark, crossed to her. She smiled at her friend, but said, "Quickly, get Carol, would you? Important news."

"Anyone else?"

"Anyone who wants."

Helene didn't have to wait long, when Carol hurried to her.

"They've closed the Compound in Japan. About two dozen of the Khatabi-Richi are here now, plus one boy of thirteen, Tashfin, and he's Khatabi."

"How certain's your news?"

"Certain. There was a line-up, and some of the ones from Japan were there to choose a girl. And then Abensur just told me, which was a nice change from having to extract information from clients."

Her glance went to Valencio, and she decided to leave out the information that Botan was there, looking as hideously scarred as ever, and, like Fudo, risen in the ranks of Fighters. He'd chosen poor little Treen, and had said to Abensur, in front of all the women, that he should make Valencio available for use now that Narzu-Han was gone. Luckily, Abensur had answered that it was not policy, that once a dirt-person was relegated to Enclosure 2, they stayed there. A few of the younger ones had preferred not to think that the vividly handsome young man in Enclosure 2 could ever have been just another sex slave, but it was impossible to deny.

As usual the following day, Valencio spoke Arabic with Treen and Ingrid. They were improving quickly by that time, almost as fluent as the older ones. Time to move on to the limited Japanese he could pass on. Maybe it would take their minds off whatever was making them so uncomfortable with him.

The morning after, those in Enclosure 2 waited to welcome Emma and Tiffany. Emma walked straight into the arms of Valencio, who kissed her forehead, and said, "Welcome to Enclosure 2. Only free and voluntary sex allowed."

Emma giggled, and answered, "All these years, and I always disliked it. Donkey ears for me any day."

"Donkey ears I loathe. Narzu-Han was about to punish me one day, gave me the choice of five minutes Pain Curse or Donkey ears. I chose the pain, without question."

Tiffany asked curiously, "Did he inflict it himself?"

"Probably gave me date scones instead. He hardly ever punished." He squeezed Emma again, "Would you like me to carry your bag?"

Tiffany said, "The new ones are Eva and Lucy, and they joined us for breakfast. They're not new to the job, they've been in New York and in Japan, and say they're the favourites of Zhang and Hung Tu, so were not killed when, they presume, all the others were." All the others like themselves. Of no use, and therefore disposed of.

Valencio gave a whistle to Marietta in Enclosure 1 after lunch, and asked if he could talk to the new ones. He was disappointed. Eva and Lucy knew no Japanese, and Eva explained, "They did a test. Punishing us because we didn't follow an order made in Japanese."

Lucy said, "If we'd learned Japanese, I don't think we'd still be alive."

Valencio was disappointed, but asked, "Any words at all?"

"A few, I suppose."

"Well, I can teach you Arabic, Italian, Greek or German if you share every single word you do know," and there were several words added to his list, and others confirmed in meaning.

They could share a little information as well. That in New York there had been twelve prisoners, but then the Khatabis stopped coming, and the Khatabi-Richi had seemed to grow more worried every day. That weeks passed, and then they were taken to Japan, and told the other ten were to go to Morocco. Eva said, "We looked for them when we came, but we didn't expect to see them."

Lucy said sadly, "All we can hope is that at least they were killed humanely."

"There was a little girl. She was only eight."

"Ahjmed's?"

"Yes."

"Well, Bellamy defeated him apparently, and if he's like Hicham, he's no longer hurting little girls."

Eva said sadly, "That's something, I guess."

"It's a lot. Ahjmed has hurt scores of little girls. And now it's ended."

Three days later, Carol spread the word. Five people were wanted in the morning, twelve in the afternoon. Probably fairly easy in the morning, with Tashfin as the student, but in the afternoon, it was to be a review for some of the Khatabi-Richi arrived from Japan, and that was expected to include the Spell of Pain.

Clarence went to join Valencio, as he sat on the edge of the swimming pool. He said in a low voice, "The Pain Curse again! It makes me sick to the stomach."

"One thing about it. There's no point trying to be brave. And if you were, somehow, they'd only think they hadn't done it right, and have another go."

"You always look totally unmoved, just wait, and don't look at them."

Valencio said, "I had acting lessons when I was a child. I cringe as much as anyone, just try not to show it. But there are worse things, all the same. And it never lasts long. It's probably worse when it's children learning. I reckon these will just do it a few seconds to show they can, and go on to the next thing."

Clarence felt a little better, and resolved to try very hard not to run away when it came time. He hadn't been such a coward once, but Clarence bore scars.

Valencio remarked, "I hope Abensur doesn't put me on with poor little Emma. It would be as difficult as seeing Tasha hurt."

The review work for the ones from Japan didn't last long. They were all qualified Fighters, but the ones taking lessons had gone into different specialties, and some were quite elderly. All the same, it didn't appear that any had forgotten old skills. As Valencio had foretold, the Spell of Pain was just a quick check for each of them, to ensure they could do it. It appeared they'd all heard of Valencio, but the curious stares were only what he was accustomed to from the younger students. He ignored them. There may still have been a ban on visitors for him, as the only other wizards he saw were those on Enclosure duty, and he preferred to keep as much out of their sight as possible.

The lessons for Tashfin continued. They knew he was quick to learn, and was showing indications of enhanced power.

"Gloria told me he'll be up to the Pain Curse any day now," Deirdre said fearfully.

But then Abensur advised Carol that Tashfin's practical lessons would be on hold for a while, and Carol spread the word. "There's another student, Tristan Khatabi, but they must think he's behind or something. They're going to start again with the boys together, but not for a couple of months."

"Where did he come from?"

"Overseas somewhere, we assume. No-one's heard of him before."

"Five children now," said Helene. "They're going to get back on their feet."

Carol admitted, "I don't know whether that's good or bad."

"At least we survive a little longer."

They went on to talk about a possible successor as leader in Enclosure 1. Helene was twenty-seven, one of the oldest of the women there.

"Ingrid, maybe, if she was older. Eva has a lot of sense, not too old, not too young." There was no point in electing a leader much past the age of twenty, as she would not be there long enough to gain experience.

Carol mentioned that Abensur had said that there would probably be getting a few new young ones for Enclosure 1.

Helene said, "Didn't I tell you? There was a line-up yesterday morning, but it was Suma Khatabi to inspect, and I have a feeling that she might have refused permission to get in any new ones."

"Well! That's a change!"

Helene agreed, "Maybe she thinks the men should look to their own women for sex, rather than slaves."

They exchanged a worried look, and then Helene sighed. "Even if it means we're at risk as well, I'd rather we were killed, than more young girls taken for rape!"

Lessons resumed, Tristan and Tashfin. Tristan was seen to be well behind to begin with, but Haru pushed him, and it didn't seem long before the subjects for the day were told that the boys would be learning the Spell of Pain.

Shirley told Valencio afterwards, "Tashfin, the bastard. Treen told me he was a bad one, and it really showed this morning. He did it first go, and loved it! He wanted to keep on doing it. Haru let him, too. Ten of us, and Haru allowed him ten goes." She looked at Valencio's face, and said hastily, "Not for more than a few seconds each. And Tristan couldn't do it at all. Haru finally said they'd come back to it in a year or two, when he's older."

The next day Valencio was included, plus three of the younger women. Haru instructed, "Tashfin, the Pain Curse. The subject is to be Valencio. Watch for my signal, and stop immediately when I indicate."

Sometimes, the boys found more difficulty with the tall and strong male prisoner than they did with the women, and Haru had done this before, as if he was a test for the student. Two extra guards, two of the younger ones, looking very alert, and with wands in hand. They had no excuse to put him under semi-paralysis or restrain him, as he never tried to resist or run, as some did. But there were always extra guards when he was to suffer under the Pain Curse.

Valencio merely stared into the distance, until Tashfin said the words, and he was on the floor. Just a few seconds, and Tashfin was being commended. Competent. Haru marked a list, and said they'd be moving on to the next thing.

Valencio stood, again assuming his mask of indifference. The guards lowered their wands. Valencio allowed his gaze to drift over Tristan, briefly meeting his eyes. Tristan looked away and swallowed. He was looking a bit sick.

There was more gossip, brought to them by Nikola, from Shar-kutsu, who still asked for her whenever possible. Two girls had been kidnapped, not medj for the enclosures, but Ania, to breed Khatabi children for them. Tristan and Tashfin were to get them pregnant.

Treen said, "At least we're free of him for a week. He's horrible."

"Tristan as well?"

"Tristan's no particular problem. In other circumstances, one could think he was quite a nice boy!"

A few weeks later, there was another blow to the Khatabis. Again, Nikola was the source of their information. That Tristan's mother had taken him away, plus the two kidnapped girls, who were both pregnant, plus three younger children, all there were aside from Tashfin. The kidnapped girls rescued, and the children - "Shar-kutsu said abducted, but I'd say rescued, at least in the case of the little girls. I'd hate to be a Khatabi girl now, they'd be made to have a child a year probably, to make up for all those lost."

It was reported that investigations were continuing, but that there had so far not been a trace.

Tashfin's lessons continued, a long series of Vidi-Curses, which he mastered quickly and easily. Tashfin was talented, cruel, and seemed destined to become a fierce and powerful fighter. If he was the only one, it was probable he'd become leader, maybe just as soon as he was adult, even if he had to kill Suma. Valencio concluded that if there was ever the slightest chance, it would be well worthwhile to kill Tashfin. It was most unlikely he'd have the slightest chance.

Three new girls of barely twelve were brought in for Tashfin. Kaede told Valencio that she'd leave Arabic for a while this time, but that he should continue with Japanese in the afternoons for Ingrid, Treen, and the four others still trying to memorise his list of words. Valencio was relieved not to have to face the new girls. How could he try and be encouraging to twelve-year-olds waiting for rape? He didn't think there had been new girls brought in so young since Margaret, nearly all of them at least fourteen, most as much as sixteen, a few even eighteen, though there had been younger ones in New York, he knew. Tasha told him he couldn't do anything, and Hilde told him sternly that talking about _bloody wizards_ in front of Abensur, was no longer allowed.

He apologised, and she patted his shoulder, "It cheered them up anyway. Carol passed it on to the girls," and she smiled, and quoted_, Bloody Khatabi wizards get themselves killed in duels all the time, and they'll probably live to see him dead."_

Before breakfast the next morning, Valencio was close to the fence between enclosures, where no-one from outside the enclosure was likely to be watching. He was practising jumping the six foot fences, trying to get over without having to run at it from too much of an angle. Few from Enclosure 1 were usually about before breakfast, but this time, as he jumped, got over cleanly, and rolled on the grass, there was a clap and a cheer. He looked around. Three young girls, looking actually happy. He rose to his feet. Two blonde girls, and one with black hair, who smiled at him, and announced, "Tashfin's dead, just like you said."

"He is?" and grinned, "That was quick."

One of the others said, "You're Valencio?"

He nodded, and was introduced to Evita, Brigitta and Inge. He looked at Brigitta's right wrist, puzzled, and she said, "Abensur claimed me as Favourite, but said not until I'm older."

Inge said, "Evita and I have a few days off, but Helene says nearly all of them don't try and hurt, and anyway, we're not virgins any more, and she says it won't hurt like the first time."

"Who killed Tashfin?"

"No-one knows. They say there wasn't a mark on him, so it was probably a Death Curse."

Valencio grinned, "They did us all a big favour then. The weaker the family grows, the better for the rest of the world."

On the other hand, the weaker the family grew, the more likely they'd be killed off. Valencio looked closely at Abensur the next time he saw him, trying to know whether it was coming. Abensur looked back at him, and a guard raised his wand.

Valencio looked away, wishing he could know his mind. And still, there were no hints of a coming cull.

Abensur was putting some thought into it. He didn't want to clear Enclosure 2, but Suma could order it, or Haru. Ryuichi as well, as manager, and Fudo, as head of the fighting forces. He could even do it on his own authority. It would be a challenge. How would he go about it so that they were not frightened or hurt? Valencio would have to go first, but Valencio might look at him, and know.

He certainly wouldn't shirk the job, as Kosin had done in Japan. He'd heard about that. An incompetent had been left in charge, and Keresta had acted totally without imagination, with the result that the killing had been done to the accompaniment of screams and panic! The poor medj hadn't deserved that! Even Zhang had managed better than that, when he'd disposed of the ones in New York. It was hypothetical so far, but Abensur regarded the medj as his responsibility. They might have to be killed, but they would not suffer.

Helene and Carol schemed together to reduce the likelihood of the ones in Enclosure 2 being killed as useless. The women in Enclosure 1 were doing their best, playing up to particular men, trying to become the 'favourites' of those in a position maybe to oppose the 'clearing' of Enclosure 2. The terminology was from the wizards, when Ingrid turned big blue eyes, swimming in tears, to one of the guards recently arrived from Japan, and asked if her friends were all to be killed. Pitono assured her that he'd heard no word that Enclosure 2 was to be cleared.

"Cleared? Is that what they call it when they kill us?"

Pitono said stiffly, "There's no need to talk of things like that. And certainly, Enclosure 1 is still needed."

Pitono didn't ask for Ingrid again, and when Marietta referred to the possibility, he was brisk. "Lie on your back, open your legs, and keep your mouth shut!"

Helene gave instructions that more subtlety was needed, and no other wizard was irritated by a medj slave asking about the possibility of imminent death.

There was more success when they took greater care not to irritate or offend, and Helene was able to tell Carol they had eleven now, who were 'favourites,' going to the man's own bedroom, nearly every night. The men tended to loosen up in their own bedrooms, and talk more. Helene started to refer grandly to her 'Spy Network,' though she laughed to Carol that it was not really that good, but made her feel better that they were doing their best.

She said, "Brigitta still wears Abensur's wristband, and he seems to be getting away with it. I've asked her to play up to him, carefully, that she may be in a position to help us all. She promised to try. She says he seems kind."

They looked at each other, sadly. Abensur may appear to be kind, but he could not be trusted.

There were fifty-nine women in Enclosure 2, and the two men, all of them acutely aware they were expendable.

Valencio was a tower of strength for some. He was teaching several of them Italian, and entertained as he taught. He laughed away fears, and said that wizards were too stupid for words, and had probably forgotten they were there. And for hours every day, he sat beside one of the large decorative rocks, and sharpened pieces of glass. It was inevitable that one day, there would be a cull. All the women he deemed not likely to go into a flat panic, knew the various hiding places of his arsenal, as he, too, thought the first thing Abensur would do if the enclosure was to be cleared, would be to render him either helpless or dead.

He put his own mind to the problem, and decided that if he was doing it, he'd have a few sitting at a table, helpless under a Freeze Spell, and then ask others in, one by one. They'd be reassured by the unharmed ones, and therefore unprepared for a death spell in the back. Probably no need for even that. Probably one day they would just go to bed, exactly as normal, and die in their sleep. No doubt they could organise that. Still, one had to be prepared. There was no excuse to stop trying.

_xdividerx_

The months dragged by, and still they were alive. Very, very bored, but alive. Helene finally succeeded in planting a Favourite with Hicham. He'd kept right away from the dirt-people ever since Ingrid had beaten him with a shoe, and that was five years ago. But now Mariabella shared his bed with him almost every night. Hicham was humble these days, but he was still a Khatabi, while Abensur was only Khatabi-Richi, as was the overall manager, Ryuichi. Hicham, if he knew in time, might be able to stop the Khatabi-Richi deciding to close down Enclosure 2.

Helene told Valencio that Mariabella was being very careful, but she was working at gradually taking more liberties.

Valencio said, "He's not very bright, of course..."

Helene smiled at her friend, "According to you, none of them are very bright."

"Not many of them, though Narzu-Han had brains, and Yiko." He grinned, "Charandev was a bit stupid, and Rotan even more so."

Helene laughed, "Turning face down for a massage - from you!"

He shook his head sadly, "So nearly!"

Helene thought that Zeeko must have been even more stupid, but no-one spoke to Valencio about Zeeko.

A few weeks later, they finally found out exactly what had happened to the Khatabis. The source was Mariabella, from Hicham. "It's called a pendreiya, like hypnosis laced with magic. And they didn't even know it had happened. They can't defend themselves any more, and Hicham can't leave Morocco, and he says that the others must be the same, except different countries."

Valencio said, "Pity he didn't do Riza. I would have had a go at her if ever I'd had the chance!"

Mariabella grinned at him, "I have some Japanese words, like you said. I think they were a query whether Hicham wanted me escorted back to the enclosure instead of having breakfast with him."

"You have breakfast with him?"

"Yes, and I'm working towards spending daytimes with him, as well as nights. Helene says it might be vital for us all if I can get him to where I can influence him sufficiently."

Valencio congratulated her, and took his gold pen from his pocket. "Tell me as close as possible what was said."

Mariabella repeated it, and Valencio wrote it down, then studied it, finally concluding, "I'll work on it."

"It's a good exercise, memorising things. Helene encourages me. She says all good spies can memorise."

More months dragged. Their world seemed so small! Valencio organised games of ball, using one of the six foot fences as a net. But when Carol asked Abensur about tennis balls and racquets, she was briskly refused. She thought it best not to ask for his reasons, though suggested to Valencio later that he might have thought the racquets could be used as weapons. She didn't suggest that he ask Abensur himself. Except for discreetly trying to know what the guards were thinking, he was under strict orders to keep himself very inconspicuous.

Abensur was very aware that the prisoners in Enclosure 2 were superfluous. The reason that the request for tennis racquets was denied was that he preferred not to call attention to their existence. Even Kaede's routine requests for books were routinely binned.

Aside from his concern that he might have to cull so many prisoners, Abensur was a happy man. Brigitta was fourteen, and he was sure she loved him. She'd been two years in the enclosure, and although she was still virgin, nearly every evening, she snuggled up to him, naked, and sometimes even timidly touched him. She still wore the coloured wrist band that indicated that she was for his exclusive use, and no-one disputed with him.

The medj knew a lot more about what had happened to the Family than their current leader would have expected. But Suma tried never to think about the people in the Enclosures. She didn't like that they kept so many medj prisoners, but they couldn't be freed, so what could she do? It never occurred to Suma to order them killed, though it occurred to others.

Ryuichi was the Khatabi manager, and one day spoke to Abensur. How long was it since the dirt-people in Enclosure 2 had been used? Two years? Was it worth keeping them any longer? How many were there, thirty or so?

Abensur said casually, that yes, there were thirty or so, and they'd be in use again shortly, as the healer wanted to train an assistant. And then he hurried to Zola, and suggested that she should have a couple of assistants, and that he had plenty of subjects for her to use for training. Brigitta would be upset if Enclosure 2 were cleared.

Two days later, Carol's heart went into her mouth, as she saw Abensur approach. There were no students. Was it now? It was a enormous relief when Abensur said there were two students for lessons in healing, and that there would be several weeks of straight work, and then probably one or two would be kept unconscious a while longer so that the students would know how to look after an unconscious person.

"They won't be allowed to die, of course, though they might be thin afterwards. And none of you will be hurt, as when they break bones, for instance, they'll use a Twilight Spell, or a stunner so that you won't feel it. You'll just wake up, healed again, maybe a bit sore."

It didn't sound at all pleasant, but when a revolt was suggested, Carol said firmly that they didn't dare make even a complaint, that their lives hung by a thread, and they had to be as cooperative as they possibly could.

"Even you, Bernice," she said sternly. Bernice always had to be paralysed before anything painful was done. And it looked like it was expected to be painful. The rarely used spa baths were filled with water, and Abimael said that he had orders that they were to be kept heated until it was over.

"Good for tired bodies," he explained.

Agneta and Jila were pleased to be offered the chance to be trained in healing. Extra skills could be very valuable in these days of uncertainty. Jila, and her husband Patek, had come from the Japanese Compound. There was overstaffing, and a sense of insecurity.

The first day, Zola had ten subjects standing obediently in line, as her female trainees practised spells they'd previously learned only in theory. Paralysis, Semi-Paralysis, Three-quarters Paralysis, Prindi Paralysis, Stunning, Twilight Spell, an Enfeeblement Spell, Calming Spells, Instant Calm, Deep Calm, and so on.

Valencio wasn't used the third day, and saw Kaede stumble as she went to her room afterwards, to lie down. Kaede was over sixty, but she was not the only one looking worn out. Narzu-Han wasn't around any more to intervene, and he went to Carol and asked if he could take the place of the older ones.

Carol looked at him dubiously, and he added, "I promise I won't attack anyone. I won't even _look_ at anyone."

Carol said, "I saw you looking at one of the ones being tested before Sorting once, and then he couldn't stun you."

Valencio grinned, "That was in the old days. It's my theory that whether they can do a successful stun spell at twelve, is a major factor in deciding whether they're to be Khatabi, and I didn't want that particular one to be Khatabi. It was only once though." He'd also sometimes tried to radiate a thought that the boys should leave, but he didn't think that venture had been at all successful. Though maybe? Tristan?

The following day, Carol read out the names of those required. Valencio was down for both morning and afternoon lists, and when he asked later, Carol nodded. "You were on for the morning anyway, and Abensur agreed to have you in place of Bernice this afternoon."

Valencio said, "Thank you, Carol," and she looked at him wryly. "Not many would thank me."

Valencio shrugged, "I don't like the bastards hurting women. And I can tolerate it better."

From then on, he was working every day, both sessions. Carol told him each time, 'in place of Mildred,' 'in place of Connie,' 'in place of Kaede,' knowing it would help. He didn't ask for relief, and no-one else was told what he was doing.

When Kaede went quietly to Carol and asked, she told her that it was a lot easier for Valencio to endure a little pain than to see his teacher suffer.

Kaede said, "You're right, and I want to thank him. But I think I'd just embarrass him."

"You probably would."

More breaking of bones, with physical trauma this time. They were to be under a Twilight Spell, but Valencio was restrained as well, by one of the wrist cuffs, to his furious annoyance.

Kofi-Zee said soothingly, "Just that you may react out of instinct when confused. You don't want to find yourself in trouble, do you?"

Valencio looked away. It would not be good policy to attack anybody. Calling attention to their existence might get them all killed. Various varieties of cutting trauma the week after. Abensur was curious as to whether Valencio would ask for relief, but he still mostly seemed to have the strength left at the end of the day to help those who stumbled with their fatigue and their aches.

After the first weeks, Carol was surprised to find that Valencio was on neither the morning or afternoon lists. Abensur explained, "They'll be studying pain relief, and Zola says that Valencio is unsuitable for the purpose."

Carol said dryly, "Of course. He's perfectly accustomed to being tortured," but flinched at Abensur's expression. She said hurriedly, "A long time ago, of course, and he's never said a word."

To her relief, Abensur passed over what Nusa'pei could easily have punished for. She had to be more careful to watch her tongue.

She read out the list that morning, and the Khatabi victims listened. Carol explained, "They'll be studying pain relief, so I'm afraid there'll be no Twilight spells or anything else to make it easier. We just have to put up with it."

Tiffany said, "I thought you said we were hardly ever hurt here."

"Usually only the Spell of Pain sometimes. This is unusual. But we _must_ cooperate. We all know what danger we're in."

Tiffany shivered. She was only in her twenties. She didn't want to die yet.

Valencio felt ill. The women he cared for, and he couldn't even share the pain. Emma was on the list for the morning, as well as Tasha.

Hilde saw his face, and went to him. "You can't help. All you can do is what you're doing now, trying to keep everyone's spirits up."

Valencio said bleakly, "They're barbarians. And the worst part of it is that they have not the slightest conception that they're barbarians."

The morning people came back looking white-faced, ill, and in the afternoon, Clarence broke from the file of prisoners and ran, followed by Bernice. But the gates of the dividing fences had been locked, and there was only a small area where they could run. The guards simply followed the usual procedure, put them under semi-paralysis, and used locomotor spells. Any sort of resistance never made any difference to whether a person was used or not. Abensur would have thought that very poor policy.

Valencio offered massages that evening. He claimed to be an expert. A hot spa for aches and pains, and a massage. There were quite a few takers. But others only curled up miserably in their rooms, and wondered if they'd be better dead than living a life of uncertainty and pain.

The gates were locked again the next morning. Valencio jumped both of the six foot fences, and took himself as far away as possible. It was horrible seeing his friends running in terror. And he could do _nothing!_ Even _trying_ to do something could mean their deaths. That day, for the first time in a very long time, he sat on the ground and leaned against the rear fence. Someone screamed in the distance.

Ten minutes later, he saw the guards unlocking the gates. Three were with Abimael, instead of the usual two, as he did his daily check of the enclosure, keeping it immaculate. He glowered at them. The guards raised their wands. Abimael appeared to ignore him, but gave him a very wide berth.

Carol told him later that Abensur had stayed that day, though he didn't intervene. "Different spells for different types of pain, and the spells are very effective. It's the time between the infliction of the injury, and the making of the spell that's hard. But they cure us then. It's not really so bad."

Valencio asked, "If it's not so bad, why are you still looking ill?"

Carol tried to say that she was just a little tired, but her breath caught, and he pulled her close, and soothed as she cried. It was a shock to him. Carol, whom he admired tremendously. He'd never seen her show weakness. He guessed she was only human, after all.

It was a relief when he could do his share again. He was only one, and it didn't help much. But when Carol told him, 'In place of Clarence,' or 'in place of Kwai-Jeeha,' it made him feel so much better that at least he could do something to help his friends. And as Carol pointed out, there were a lot of them. With smaller numbers, they would have been working harder.

There were two weeks when the trainees studied internal injuries, then a couple of days of review, and it was nearly over. Carol passed on that there would be another couple of days of review in four weeks, and probably another a couple of weeks after that. Valencio was a strong man, but even he looked thin and tired, though not nearly as haggard as many of the women.

The following morning, Carol found Valencio in one of the small sitting rooms, looking better now, and laughing with Clarence. Valencio had his feet on a coffee table, and a book on his knees, but it had to have been a conversation she was interrupting. She smiled. It was good to hear Clarence laugh. Clarence rarely laughed.

They looked around at her entrance, and she said, "Helene wants you both. She has a plan, and you can help."

They rose, though Valencio felt uneasy, something to do with the assessing eyes on him.

Helene waited at the place they always had their Committee meetings. She smiled, and greeted them, "Please, sit down."

There was an unusual formality about her words, and he suspected that she was uncomfortable as well, trying not to show it. Once everyone took their seats, Carol asked in a matter-of-fact tone, "Well, what did Brigitta find out?"

Valencio glanced at her. That question was staged.

Helene said, "It was about Ryuichi. He's been saying that it's a waste of money feeding so many prisoners. So we want to plant a favourite on him."

"Did Brigitta find out what he likes?"

"He doesn't use any of us, and Abensur said it's because he's involved with one of the Khatabi-Richi women."

Clarence remarked, "I remember he used to like Toruni and Zweiter."

Helene asked, puzzled, "Who were they?"

"Tall, exotic-looking, very black, from the Sudan. Dead now."

Helene said dismissively, "Well, we have no-one like that here now, but what we do know is that he wanted them to get in a boy for him, one who looked like Valencio."

Valencio looked at her in horror. He couldn't! He'd go berserk and probably kill him! He couldn't help that way! Anyway, surely he was too old. Ryuichi wouldn't want him now.

But Helene was continuing in an artificially calm voice, "Anyway, Evita looks like Valencio, a bit. And she's still only fourteen, with not a great deal of shape to her body. She could almost pass for a boy, and she's agreed that she could pretend to be a boy for Ryuichi."

Valencio protested, "You can't ask that of her!"

Helene reminded him quietly, "It's survival, Valencio. It could save lives."

Carol said, "It's only sex. Just a different way. What we need to know is if it has to hurt."

Valencio swallowed and looked away, and Carol looked at Clarence, instead.

Clarence answered, though reluctantly, "I was always hurt, sometimes very much, sometimes a bit less, but it always hurt."

Helene asked softly, "Valencio?"

It was about survival, and he had to answer. "If a man goes slowly and carefully, and if he uses small dildos, or maybe a finger for a while first, and also lubricating lotion, it need not hurt."

Helene was trying to be matter-of-fact. "Is it worthwhile, then, trying to get a body used to it?"

Valencio still looked away, but said, "You want him to want her, and think she wants him. It will be easier for her to pretend if it doesn't hurt too much. Certainly, it's worthwhile."

Helene nodded, and said, "We'll try then. Just gently, maybe every morning in the shower."

Carol asked bluntly, "Valencio, did he ever have you?"

Valencio was silent, and Helene said gently, insistently, "Valencio, we need to know if he's likely to be rough. No-one wants her hurt."

Valencio gave her the information required, "He never had me. He used to look, that's all, and he had a chance to fondle once, after Arikiyo died. I don't know if he's likely to be rough. But if she bleeds, she should tell Abensur and he can do a repair spell. But if it's like that, she should complain, not continue."

Helene pointed out, "He's Khatabi-Richi. He will not be allowed to damage."

Valencio glanced at her briefly, and looked away again. Poor, poor kid. Fancy asking that of her.

Clarence said slowly, "Maybe a girl does not feel so shamed..."

Helene said, "No-one here has admitted to being used like that, but Clarence is right. I think it's probably different for a boy. Alien. A humiliation, but not as much for a woman."

Clarence asked, "Are you finished with us then?"

Helene said softly, "Thank you for your help."

The men walked quickly away, leaving Carol and Helene together. Clarence remarked that even now, he felt ill when he thought about it, but made no further reference to the discussion, and Valencio was grateful. He felt very ill, and wished there was someplace where he could be certain he'd be left alone for a while. He'd get on the roof, if he could. Clarence must be stronger than himself. He didn't look upset. Evita. Poor, poor girl.

Carol said to Helene, in a low voice, "He mentioned bleeding, and a repair spell."

"Hilde told me about that ages ago, in case we ever had another boy. That a man who's too rough can leave a tear, but there's a simple repair spell."

"Valencio knew about it..."

"There was a time he was having Botan, quite regularly. He wouldn't have taken care."

"Khatabi-Richi are not allowed to damage, remember. Tell Brigitta to complain if he does."

"He also said it didn't have to hurt. Maybe he'll take care."

They sighed. It was survival.

It took a few weeks, but then Evita appeared with a pink wrist band, denoting that she was for the exclusive use of Ryuichi. One day, when she brought a carefully written down phrase of Japanese for Valencio to try and work out, she mentioned casually that it was far better being a Favourite, especially of a man who was so gentle.

Valencio gave her a smile of profound relief. He'd hated thinking that the guards were needing to use repair spells again, as they had when Faheem had been so careless, so often. He didn't think that Adil had ever been careless. He'd just liked to see him bleeding.

Helene made an oblique reference to it as well, one day. That Evita seldom found out much of use, but that Ryuichi, as far as they knew, had stopped suggesting that the Enclosures were a waste of money. She smiled. "They carry themselves with pride - Evita, Brigitta and Inge. They're helping save lives, and they know it. It's much better than just being unpaid prostitutes."

_xchapter endx_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is now 'The Great Wizard' and his name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 3:_

At breakfast one morning, Abensur appeared and made an unexpected announcement, that six of them were to be moved back to Enclosure 1. "I will consider volunteers first, though no-one over forty. So think about it, and I'll return at dinner."

There was a lot of discussion that day. Deirdre said straightaway that she'd volunteer, explaining that she'd never been hurt when in Enclosure 1.

Gloria commented, "I would have, as it's safer there, but it's seems I'm too old."

Farfalla said, "Me, too. To do what Helene's gang are doing - trying to find out information - it's worthwhile." She grimaced, "And besides, at least you get enough sex there, if not too much." Her eyes rested on Valencio. But surely he must get tired sometimes. There were several of them who needed him now and then.

Tiffany said, "Botan's a regular customer. They say he likes the young ones best though, poor kids."

Carol said to Tiffany, "You're bright enough to help us..."

"I'll think about it."

"I wonder why they're not just getting in new young ones."

Carol said, "Helene thinks Suma won't give permission."

"That's a mercy!"

Valencio lounged close to the fence that day, watching as Zeeko supervised the construction of six additional bedrooms in Enclosure 1. Shar-kutsu worked under him, and there was another he didn't know. Zeeko appeared confident in his role, very different from the shy youth whom Valencio had known.

Zeeko glanced in his direction, and Valencio faded away. Zeeko was married now, Valencio knew, and wondered what it would be like to be properly married, maybe in a church, and set up a home with a wife. Zeeko and his wife were Khatabi-Richi and could not have children. Tasha couldn't have children either. But it was silly to think of that. There was no such thing as a normal life within the enclosures of the Khatabis.

Tiffany, Amreeta and Deirdre volunteered, and were accepted, and Abensur chose another three after dinner, first dismissing anyone over forty, dismissing Thierry, Emma, Valencio and Tasha, then Shirley, and frowning over those left. He made his choices, and six women packed their bags, and before breakfast the next morning, moved back to Enclosure 1. Twenty-six, when there had been only twenty allowed for generations.

There was a sigh of relief from the overworked inmates of Enclosure 1, especially the younger ones, Ingrid, Treen, and poor little Inge, who was very much in demand. Margaret, who hadn't wanted to move back, consoled herself with the thought that at least she was at a reduced risk of being 'culled,' and could maybe even help, as the young girls were helping.

Valencio watched them leave, gave Tasha a squeeze, and said how glad he was that she wasn't chosen. Tasha kissed him, thinking that if he'd been chosen, he probably would not have lasted the week. It hadn't even occurred to him that he might be chosen. He was a full grown man, after all.

She said, "Let's have something like a marriage ceremony."

Valencio kissed her tenderly, and said that he'd like that very much.

Tasha said teasingly, "It means you can't have sex with anyone but me, of course!"

Valencio was astonished, "Does it?"

"I think it mostly does, but I think Farfalla and Gloria and a few others would go bananas if you didn't visit their rooms now and then."

Valencio said tenderly, "You're the one I sleep with, you're the one I want to be my wife."

Valencio was thirty, Tasha nine years older. Kaede devised a marriage service, and Valencio and Tasha were married, and then Clarence and Bernice, who also wanted to marry. There was no special meal, no honeymoon, of course, but there was a commitment to each other.

It was held at the usual meeting place, and nearly all the prisoners were in attendance. Not Mariabella, who was with Hicham, and not Georgia and Adelbert, as they were held unconscious in the small end enclosure, while the trainee healers learned the spells to clean beds, keep comatose patients clean, and get a little pure water into them so they didn't die of dehydration. The patients were starving, as Aniragi healers had no way of feeding a deeply unconscious person. The medj were assured they would not be allowed to die.

There was no shortage of bedrooms, and Valencio and Tasha continued to use both bedrooms they were allotted, though always sleeping in Valencio's bedroom. It was no longer bare, but showed a gradual accumulation of personal possessions. Not many, as there were no gifts now, not that there ever had been more than a very few. But paper and pencils were provided, and Emma had discovered a new interest in sketching.

It probably wouldn't last long, as the scenery was so limited, manicured lawns, garden beds flowering, irrespective of season, tiled paths, order and symmetry. She briefly tried portraits, but somehow all the faces wound up looking thin and anxious, though she didn't think they were, really.

_xdividerx_

More months went by, and those in Enclosure 2 remained nervous sometimes, but mostly bored. Valencio was coping perfectly well. Carol thought it a bit strange, that he was unfazed by the fact their lives hung by a thread, and yet had gone to pieces when he was the beloved pet of virtually all the most powerful wizards of the Family of Khatabi.

Hilde understood him better, and very much appreciated his unfailing cheerfulness. He was leaned on, increasingly. Carol suggested he put his name up for election for the Committee, but he looked at her in astonishment. "I'm not strong enough, you know that! I go to pieces and do stupid things." He shook his head, decidedly. "You and Kaede, Hilde and the others. I'd rather depend on you any day."

Carol said kindly, "It was only that one thing. You're a strong person, really."

He frowned at her, and finally said, "I think that one thing might have left me too damaged. I cannot take responsibility."

"Thierry, Emma, Mildred, many others. You help them now, from your strength."

"Thank you for saying so." He wanted to look after the women, and didn't know just how much he was doing so.

_xdividerx_

"Nearly Christmas," Shirley commented to Valencio. They were at the far end of the enclosure, in the baking heat of early afternoon.

Valencio squinted at the first of the dividing fences. "Time me," he said. "To No. 1 toilet block and back. I want to know how long I take."

Shirley smiled indulgently. Did he really think he'd have a chance to intervene if the guards started killing them?

He glanced at her, "I might not be able to stop them, but if I have the slightest chance, I'll make them pay, at least a little."

Shirley blinked, surprised, and said, "Carol's right. You _do_ have some telepathy. You just answered my thought."

"Nonsense. It was totally obvious what you were thinking. You were looking so very superior and understanding."

Shirley grinned, and said, "On the count of three, then," and on the count of three, Valencio ran, running at the six foot fence from an angle, jumping, landing on his back on the manicured lawn, rolling and back on his feet, and on to the next one.

But as he came to his feet after jumping the second fence, he propped to a halt. Abensur, and two other guards had all whirled and were aiming their wands. Carol was with them. He shrugged and said casually, "Sorry to frighten you. I didn't know you were here."

He crossed his fingers they wouldn't decide to search him. As well as the usual shiv in a seam, he had a penetrating weapon in one pocket, and his knife in another. Part of the exercise was to land without cutting himself.

Abensur lowered his wand, and said, "I didn't know you could do that."

Valencio replied casually, "Just something to do," and started to move away. Of course Abensur hadn't known. He only practised when he thought none of the wizards were at all likely to be close. Someone should have whistled to warn him.

Abensur was regarding him with a frown on his face, then glanced at the fence, and the ground that he'd landed on. Firmly, he said, "Come here, Valencio."

Valencio put on an impassive face, and did as he was told. The other two guards still had wands raised, aiming.

Abensur ordered, "Take off your shirt, and turn around."

Valencio hesitated. A Death Curse in the back?

Abensur glanced at the guards, who lowered their wands, and then said patiently, "I want to see how badly you're bruising your back when you play your foolish games."

Valencio took off his shirt and displayed his back, but there was a blade in his hand, and he was very tense. Abensur stroked across the side of his back where he'd landed each time. It was swollen, and he flinched at the gentle touch.

Abensur ordered, "Go and put anti-bruising lotion on, and please refrain from hurting yourself. You'll be working again soon."

Valencio asked, surprised, "Who?"

"Their names are Tahar and Hamza. They returned three days ago."

"I heard a couple of young ones returned, but I would have thought they'd be in Senior School at their age."

"They were educated overseas, where the requirements are different."

Valencio said cautiously, "They say they left before they were Sorted."

Abensur's reply was curt. "They're Khatabi, and it's none of your concern whether they were Sorted or not."

"Yes, Abensur," and this time he was allowed to leave.

Carol watched thoughtfully. Abensur had stroked tenderly, almost lovingly. It was the first time she'd seen that expression on his face. Could his fondness for Valencio have something to do with their survival?

In the morning, Abimael made the grass on either side of the fence, grow long and soft. Carol grinned when she told Valencio the reason, that Abensur had given orders to Abimael, because he knew that Valencio was far too stupid to stop hurting himself.

Valencio was rueful, "Abensur knows me very well."

But the next time he practised, he did hurt himself. Slowed down by long grass on the take-off, he didn't make it over, snagged a foot and hit his head. Even on soft grass, he saw stars, before coming rather slowly to his feet, and deciding to lie down for a bit. It was obvious that his being able to get from one end of the enclosure to the other, very quickly, was not going to make the slightest difference if they were to be killed. It wouldn't stop him trying. One had to try...

It was work again for those in Enclosure 2 for the next four weeks, although Abensur did allow them a day off for Christmas. It was the first time that had happened, but word soon spread who was responsible, and Brigitta preened herself. She was wanting to try and exercise her power, but Helene warned her to be very careful. "He might seem kind, but they think we're far beneath them. You cannot trust a wizard."

Brigitta remarked, "Valencio invariably refers to them as bloody wizards."

Helene laughed, and said, "Valencio knows!"

"They're not very good," Valencio commented to Carol. "In the old days, they'd be issued with the yellow of a servant, without a question."

Carol said, "Well, they're certainly not about to sterilise them now. They have no other fertile males."

"What about Haru? He's Khatabi. Surely he would not have been sterilised."

Carol frowned, trying to remember. She was a similar age to Haru, and had been around a long time. Finally, she said uncertainly, "I'm not sure it was him, but there was a scandal years ago, when one of the young ones refused to fight. Insisted there was no point in it. It was just a story one of the wizards told me. He said he must have had a dud sire."

"Narzu-Han told me once, that the status of Khatabi is hardly ever revoked. But maybe they sterilised him then."

That evening, flame-headed Bridget led her client to talk about what would happen if a Khatabi refused to fight.

"If a Khatabi refused to fight!" laughed the young man. "That's what we do. If we're good enough to be Fighters, we fight!"

"But what if? Would he be sterilised for instance, made Khatabi-Richi, maybe?"

Salo-Zar answered uncertainly, "I think the women are often sterilised if they want to leave, and Riza doesn't need them any more. I suppose the same could apply to the men. And it can be convenient of course, to be sterilised. Most of us would never have wanted to be bothered with children."

His words didn't ring true, and Bridget set herself to make him forget the conversation. Bridget was like Valencio - she considered most of the Khatabis not too bright, but she took pleasure in using them, as best she could, and Salo-Zar was a good source of information.

To the surprise of the medj, Tahar and Hamza, brothers aged seventeen and eighteen, were not even able to do a reliable stun spell to begin with. Once they appeared to master it, they were told to stun all fifteen of the subjects and that they'd be left to revive naturally. Haru wanted to check that the subjects would not simply revive within a few minutes.

Gloria told Valencio later, sheepishly. "They've never done that before, and I panicked. I thought it was death. Tried to attack Haru, and was punished for it."

Valencio squeezed her, "Alright now?"

"Two minutes, but by the time it was over, another half-dozen were under semi-paralysis. I wasn't the only one worried."

"You woke up, though."

"We all woke up, and Abensur was there. He gave us a stern rebuke, like we were little children. He told us that there was nothing to fear. That we should trust him. That there had been not the slightest reason for such a ridiculous panic."

The students mastered paralysis and the simpler vidi-curses without a great deal of difficulty, but then they were up to the Pain Curse. Ten subjects, as each one should not take too much of it. Valencio was in the group, and time and again, both Hamza and Tahar would have the women in pain, and Valencio staring away from them, and maybe flinching when he felt a prickling.

Haru suddenly aimed his wand, and Valencio fell in unendurable agony. He only held it a few seconds, and spoke scathingly to the young men, but in Japanese.

Shirley said to Valencio, as he stood again, putting on his indifferent face, "Just natural born bullies, I guess. They're frightened of you." She used German, and Haru, irritated, silenced her. The medj were not supposed to talk in lessons, and especially a language he didn't understand.

Carol caught a few words of Japanese that she thought she understood, heard Valencio's name, and made a guess at the rest. If she was right, it was worthwhile. Anything to weaken their power, even a little bit. But she conferred with the Committee before putting her idea to Valencio.

Valencio laughed when she put the plan to him. He very much enjoyed the thought of making a fool of any bloody wizard.

Carol asked, "Can you still cry when you want?"

Valencio grinned, and nodded.

Carol grinned too, "Show me?"

"I'll need a reason..."

"We've had no new books for six years."

Valencio took a shuddering breath, "No new books for six years? No new books?" And Carol watched him, fascinated, as his eyes began to run with tears, and then he wiped them away with a trembling hand, and his breath caught as he said, very sadly, "No new books."

Carol laughed, "You've got me sorry for you now! I'll ask Abensur again. We need new books!"

The following day, just two subjects were required, but Haru specified that Valencio be included. Mildred whimpered in fear, but Valencio whispered to her, and she cheered up. Poor Mildred was brought down quickly and easily by Hamza. And then they turned their attention to Valencio.

He gave Hamza three tries, the second time sagging to his knees, and whimpering, the third time screaming, and thrashing about on the floor. The painful tingling eased, and he lay panting on the floor, his eyes leaking tears.

Mildred helped him up, and he staggered as he stood.

Thuli watched him, just a touch suspicious. It was the wet eyes, Valencio suddenly knew. He should not have done that.

Hamza had no doubts, and stood triumphant, a broad smile on his face.

Haru was relieved. Finally! "Once more," he ordered Hamza. "This time hold it until I say."

About three minutes, Valencio estimated, longer than they were ever normally punished with it just for practice. Was Haru suspicious? Or maybe he was just taking the opportunity to hurt him. How long should it be before he got up this time? He lay for ten minutes, as Mildred knelt beside him, and looked accusingly at Hamza, who now looked uneasy. He didn't really like doing this.

Tahar next. And again, they started with Mildred. Even with Mildred, Tahar needed two attempts, and Valencio suspected that she was pretending now, as well.

"Valencio now," ordered Haru.

He always referred to the women by number, but there had been strict instructions from the first that he was to use Valencio's name. Valencio shuddered slightly, and wondered how he could make himself look white. He should be pale and sweaty after the punishment he was supposed to have taken. Tahar must have gained confidence, it appeared, as Valencio went down straightaway that time, and even though it was a short bout, took a long time again to pull himself up.

Tahar refused to look at him. Did he really have to do this?

Haru gave the subject time to recover, giving a lecture about the necessity for timing when there were any lengthy punishments.

"How long does it take to kill?" asked Hamza.

"That depends on the subject," said Haru. "Even ten minutes can kill someone like the woman, for instance, a strong man might take fifteen minutes, but that's about the maximum."

Valencio stood, swaying slightly, Mildred holding his arm.

Haru spoke to Thuli. "Was Valencio ever punished for very long?"

Thuli answered, "He nearly died under punishment after attacking Faheem, though I don't remember how long that was for. Also he was taking five minutes a day for a week early on, to teach him not to run. By the seventh day, that was nearly fatal as well."

"He would have been just a child at that time," Haru commented. "That's very severe for a child."

Valencio just stood, looking at the floor.

Haru said, "Tahar, we'll give him three minutes. I'll time."

Kofi-Zee decided to make a complaint to Abensur. Three minutes was not for teaching. Three minutes was punishment. But Haru was Khatabi. Could Abensur do anything to stop him?

Three minutes, and Valencio's throat was beginning to be sore. He allowed his screams to die down a little, and his struggles became more feeble.

Haru indicated, and Tahar lowered his wand. Valencio lay inert, and Mildred knelt again beside him. Maybe she should try and do something, as she would if he were really being nearly killed. She swore at Haru, who gave her a casual glance, put her under semi-paralysis, and moved her body out of reach of Valencio, who was now making feeble attempts to get up.

"Just one more time, Tahar," ordered Haru.

"Now?" queried Tahar.

Haru nodded curtly, and Valencio felt the tingling resume, barely uncomfortable, but again he screamed, and threw himself about. Haru pointed his wand, and the difference was discernible immediately. The screams were genuine, tortured.

Haru lowered his wand, and snapped, "Valencio, get up."

Valencio got to his feet and again looked at the floor. Haru considered, and then asked one of the guards to ask Zola for a pain monitor. "He's been pretending," he explained to his puzzled students, although the guards were looking amused. It had been a good pretence.

For the rest of the lesson, both Mildred and Valencio were magically blinded and deafened, and a pain sensor was strapped to their foreheads.

Zola had come too, curious as to why Haru should require a pain sensor. She glanced at Valencio when Haru explained, but then asked casually that the sensor be returned when he was finished. Valencio was surprised. She wasn't showing it, but she condemned the men as barbarians. What did that make her? She'd hurt them as well.

Tahar and Hamza felt more vicious after Haru's contemptuous words, and put all their efforts into punishing those who had made them look fools. They learned, although Haru had them do it repeatedly, just to make sure.

Mildred was spared a little, but by the time it was over, Valencio had considerable difficulty coming to his feet. Kofi-Zee tried to help him, but he snarled at him to get away from him. The old guard was just as much a bloody wizard as any of them.

Kofi-Zee shrugged and left him to struggle, swaying uncertainly, though Thuli helped Mildred, who'd also taken far more punishment than was normal.

Carol was involved in a Committee Meeting when Valencio and Mildred returned. Mildred went straight to her room, but Valencio just sat for a while in the dining room. His room seemed too far away. After a while, he went to report to Carol. Carol apologised, and said they'd best not attempt anything like that again.

Haru spoke to Abensur afterwards. "They know too much. It will compromise the lessons if they pretend."

Abensur said casually, "Can you blame them? It's very hard on them when the Spell of Pain is taught?"

"What if they pretend in other lessons? I think we need to do away with these, and get in a fresh supply only when they're needed, and I don't suppose that'll be for years."

Abensur said smoothly, "There's Valencio, remember. And Narzu-Han's still alive. I heard recently. He could come back, take over, and if Valencio is not alive and well, we would suffer!"

Haru shuddered, and decided not to say anything more.

Abensur lied. There had been no word of Narzu-Han, nor of Ahjmed, Adil, or Faheem. They'd found where Iyad had lived for a few weeks, but he'd been killed, possibly not realising that he could no longer fight.

Neither Carol nor Valencio knew that that he had any remaining protection, and Carol was horrified when Haru's suggestion filtered back to her. Her idea had put all their lives at risk. They had to be so careful! There would be no more pretending.

Haru used one of the girls from Enclosure 1 that night, but Amber said that when he gave her orders, he called her No. 11, that he only ever took five minutes, and threatened to silence her if she irritated him by speaking. Haru was not a promising prospect for planting a Favourite.

Tahar and Hamza were better prospects. And when they saw that Hicham's Mariabella was often with him in the day as well as all night, they ordered that the Favourites they'd settled on, Eva and Tiffany, also have their wristbands, and allowed them to be with them in the days. Eva and Tiffany became as important as Brigitta and Evita in Helene's 'Network.' But it was Nikola that came back with the news that four Ania had been kidnapped in order to be mated with the brothers. Four young women from prominent families of wizards, two from Holland, one from Sweden and one from England.

"Not as young as the last two they kidnapped. In their twenties, I was told."

Carol was confused when Eva reported that Tahar mentioned that they'd be commencing lessons again soon. Abensur usually kept them informed, but the days went by, and although he called in now and then, he said nothing about forthcoming 'work.' They concluded it must simply be things like conjuring, things that did not require human subjects.

Abensur was pleased with how well his methods were working with the inmates of Enclosure 3. Even after the first deaths, a combination of memory change spells and false reassurances were keeping them calm and obedient.

Evita reported that Ryuichi had sighed about the declining standard of Khatabis, but a few days later, her coloured wristband was removed and she was back to general duties. It was a blow. Evita had been an important part of the network. The prisoners' precarious survival seemed to now rest almost entirely on the thin shoulders of Brigitta, who had to keep Abensur happy at all costs. Luckily, she and Abensur were very much enjoying each other, and Brigitta had to make an effort sometimes to remember not to trust him.

There was Mariabella with Hicham, but Mariabella said that he had a strong tendency to hide whenever there was any hint of dissension. She didn't think him capable of standing up for them. At least, he was a good source of information.

A gleeful piece of gossip spread quickly. Two of their Fighters, including Pervez, were in an English prison for attempted kidnap. They'd thought they'd found the children that Akila had taken years before, but it hadn't even been the right children!

A few weeks later, there was more. Another two were in an Italian prison, again for attempted kidnap, but this time, it was said, it was Zhor and Najia Khatabi, now young women, and using the enhanced power of the Khatabis to work as spell-breakers - like Henry Bellamy did.

"Mariabella found out that Henry Bellamy's working again, as if nothing had happened to him. Only that he was very ill for several years."

"We heard that ages ago, but they said it was impossible. That the damage done was irreversible. His mind was destroyed, the same as if a limb was vanished."

"It was information from Hicham, and he gets told things, even now."

_xchapter endx_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is now 'The Great Wizard' and his name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 4:_

Then one day in April, there was a change. Mariabella reported excitedly, "Just strolled in, and announced they were taking over. Pretending to be oh so casual, so self-assured, and not letting their guard down for a moment. And Suma agreed to it!"

"Who?" Helene demanded.

"Zhor and Najia Khatabi. Zhor's the leader, though she says they're co-leaders."

Mariabella wrinkled her brow as she concentrated on getting the words right. "She said that there were none there more powerful than Najia, and if she cursed somebody, only herself and the great wizard could undo it. And then she said that if _she_ cursed somebody, then it would only be the great wizard who could undo it. And she said, that no-one, _no-one,_ and that includes the medj prisoners, are to be hurt or killed without her express permission!"

Helene said in astonished disbelief, "She actually referred to the medj prisoners!"

Mariabella nodded.

Helene said cautiously, "It may not mean anything, of course, just that she'll look at us, and make up her own mind whether we're needed."

"It means, for sure, that we won't get hurt today, anyway."

"Come with me. We have to tell Carol and the others."

Carol already knew there was something up. "Kamchatsu took Clarence to their rooms to act as a taster, even though it's only a morning tea."

"They must think they're in danger of being poisoned."

"More likely drugged in order to be made helpless, and made pregnant, to bear Khatabi children."

Mariabella had to repeat her story again and again, until there was not one who hadn't heard it.

Tasha was excited, but Valencio was cool. "Don't get your hopes up, love. That Zhor, she's just as much a bloody wizard as Ahjmed or Adil, I reckon."

Tasha shook her head, and went to talk to Didi and Sheri, who were happy to speculate about what the change might mean for them.

Abensur was worried for himself, and planned to keep right out of sight. What of Enclosure 3, with its thirty-two prisoners still alive? The new leaders had been away for years, exposed to other influences. It was looking as if they might care about the welfare of the medj. Hardly any of the women knew that there was a third enclosure with its own set of classrooms, probably only Zola and her trainees in fact, though he guessed the ones in the kitchens and laundries had to know. Maybe the inmates should all be killed straightaway, so that the new leaders never found out. But there was Zhor's telepathy. She would find out. Driss was already punished, he'd heard, and could no longer use his right hand.

Abensur made his decision, and gave orders that all the prisoners continue to be well treated and looked after, and himself made a short visit to Enclosure 3, and informed their leader that the lessons would be on hold for a day or two. They were still calm and well behaved, nearly all of them believing his assurances that the missing men had been freed, especially as some remembered seeing them having their memories changed to forget about magic, remembered seeing their numbers and wrist and ankle cuffs removed, and remembered them being escorted on the way to freedom. It was a lot easier to believe the false memories than to understand they would not leave there alive.

Clarence's return to Enclosure 2 was eagerly awaited, and he had more information, divulged to two large groups who waited on either side of the fence. "There's to be a taster at every meal, and I heard an old lady in a wheelchair saying to someone that it must be made known that there would be a taster."

"That would be Bouchra Khatabi," commented Valencio, "But Nusa'pei told me years ago she had no power."

"Well anyway, they've taken charge alright, and Suma and Ryuichi reported to them, and another I didn't know."

"That was probably Driss," said Carol. "We know about him. He used to be a Fighter, but in administration since Suma took over."

Clarence continued, "They're going to inspect the kidnapped girls after lunch, and then us."

"They're going to inspect _us?"_

"That's what Madam Zhor said. First the kidnapped girls, and it seemed there were spells on them so they couldn't escape, and she ordered that they be taken off."

"What spell?"

"The Lazylegs Spell."

The groups were gathered close to the intervening fence, and Helene asked, "What's the Lazylegs Spell?"

"Simple spell," said Carol. "The boys learn it in what they call Junior School. It means you can't walk far without your legs getting very, very tired." Carol had been around a long time. She thought she probably knew just about every spell, from experience.

"Are they going to continue using a taster?"

"Every mealtime."

The prisoners were excited, a little nervous, not knowing what the change of leadership would mean for them. When lunch was brought in, Valencio studied the guards, until Kofi-Zee looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. Zhang was watching him, and raised his wand slightly. How many years since he'd given the slightest trouble? And even now, they still watched him. As for his very doubtful telepathy, all he could tell was that the guards were as full of uncertainty as themselves, though they put on expressionless faces. He wasn't even sure about that. Could some people really tell exactly what another was thinking? But Narzu-Han and Yiko could, he knew for a fact.

Clarence had more to report after lunch, and again there was a crowd gathered at the fence between enclosures. "They're being treated as leaders, issuing instructions, and being obeyed. I saw Abimael come in, and he started working in their garden. It was old Riza's apartments, and they've just taken them over."

"A cunning move," commented Carol. "It will give them something of her authority."

They waited expectantly after lunch, standing back quietly as the two girls walked in. Zhor only nineteen years old, Najia a little older. They were escorted by Kamchatsu and two guards.

Tasha whispered to Valencio, "Where's Abensur, do you think?"

Valencio shrugged, and watched the guards closely. He thought their acceptance of the leadership of Zhor and Najia no more than provisional.

Kamchatsu took on the role of tour guide, explaining that the women were served their meals, and had access to coffee, tea, soft drinks and snacks at other times. Zhor and Najia held wands in their hands, and Valencio knew how very tense they were, though they tried to appear relaxed.

To their surprise, the guards were dismissed, and two young Ania stood unprotected, with fifty-five medj prisoners, at the place where Kaede, and quite often Valencio, taught. Zhor glanced around and used her wand, having medj prisoners ducking away in every direction. They gaped, as a large hole was opened in the intervening fence, and then a conjured framework.

Valencio laughed, and commented to Tasha, "To think I spent six weeks painfully trying to make just a small hole under the fence!"

Tasha looked at him in surprise. She hadn't known that. Valencio appeared relaxed, insensibly reassuring to the women around him.

Zhor raised her voice. "Conference. Come and talk to me."

The members of the Committee quickly joined her at the large twin tables, now with just a narrow gap where the fence had been. The prettier one, Najia, stood behind her cousin, very alert and holding her wand.

Valencio looked back at the guards, standing outside the door to the dining room, and now joined by four others. He put his hand on his knife, and then spoke very quietly to Tasha, then to Shirley and to Maliwan, who also slipped away and quietly armed themselves. Freedom? They wanted to free them? Valencio no longer felt at all calm.

Word spread, and more of the women armed themselves. Zhor and Najia must not be taken prisoner. There was a hope, but no-one quite dared to hope for freedom.

There were too many to easily hear what was said, and then Zhor waved a wand, and Valencio at the back, nearer the guards, could no longer hear at all. He went closer, desperate now to hear. Tension was radiating from him, and Tasha took his arm, holding tightly. She knew her Valencio, and he was not always calm when he needed to be calm.

They heard enough to know that Carol was deciding to trust.

Valencio shook his head, and looked again at Zhor. Freedom? Could she? _How_ could she? They would make trouble. Zhor met his eyes, and he flinched. She took her attention away from him.

There was some more conversation that Valencio only half heard, trying desperately to hear what was not said. Carol was hoping, Helene too. They were to be trusted, their leaders. Could Zhor be trusted? She was Khatabi. Bloody Khatabi. She was like Riza, and Riza was bloody Khatabi.

Valencio had forgotten the guards, but Zhor hadn't, and Valencio jumped again, sure he could feel her as she felt for the thoughts of the guards. He fingered the knife in his pocket again, with its papier mache sheath.

Tasha whispered, "Be calm, Valencio. It's not the time for action."

He looked at her unseeingly, and repeated, "Not the time for action."

There was more conversation, half heard. Zhor stood, and Valencio with his height, saw Carol incline her head in the gesture of respect that Khatabi-Richi always gave Khatabi. It was sincere, as he felt.

Zhor nodded curtly, turned her back and marched toward the door, with Najia keeping step.

The medj watched them go, and word quickly spread just what had been discussed.

"She wants to free us..."

"They said their position was insecure, and she couldn't do much yet..."

"She's going to sack the ones we said were the worst ones..."

"We made a list of the ones who liked to hurt, and she said she'd dismiss them."

"Botan was underlined!"

"Only one a night, for anyone."

Inge said, her face shining with tears, "I have a total holiday..."

"_Don't,_ whatever you do, tell any wizard they've spoken of freeing us."

That was Carol, and she moved around the inmates of Enclosures 1 and 2, intermingled as they'd never been before, repeating that vital instruction, again and again.

Helene hugged Valencio, her old friend, and said, "There's real hope."

Valencio looked at her as if he didn't see her, though repeating mechanically, "There's real hope."

Helene hugged him again, fiercely, and repeated, trying to make him believe it, "There's real hope."

"I'd best stay a long way from the guards. Can't mess things up now."

Helene smiled at him, and agreed. She felt him so tense, and when she mentioned it to Carol, Carol said, "If Valencio didn't believe they meant what they said, he would not be reacting like this. He really can sense things."

Helene watched her girls go off with their clients that evening, and crossed her fingers. What were the Khatabi-Richi thinking? Would Zhor and Najia remain in charge?

Their clients gave out very little information, even Salo-Zar. Junichiro, whom Helene had, rebuked her for asking. They did get some factual information, that thirteen men had been dismissed, all but two of the ones on the list that Ingrid had prepared, and those two, Botan and Manmohan, were away.

Abensur was very quiet, worried, Brigitta thought. He gave her no information at all, except that the new limits on use of Enclosure 1 prisoners would stand, he assumed, as long as Zhor and Najia were in charge. There was also the information that Tahar and Hamza had gone, and Lucy and Eva lost their status as Favourites.

Amber reported that Najia had claimed to be good friends with the great wizard, also that he called himself John Bellamy, rather than Henry Bellamy now.

"So it's definite that he's recovered?"

"Seems so."

Clarence was again used as a taster, and after dinner, reported, "They're not trusting anyone, and wait each time to make sure I don't drop dead or something. But Najia told me that the food would only be drugged, not poisoned, as no-one wants them dead."

"They must realise they could be taken prisoner, and just used for breeding."

Carol said, "I wouldn't like to be the one that tries to keep Zhor prisoner. I reckon she could be formidable!"

Mariabella visited in the morning, and reported, "Hicham's scarcely budging from his apartments. He told me Zhor was always unusual, and if anyone could restore the Khatabi Family, she could."

When breakfast arrived, the wizards were questioned. Were Zhor and Najia still in charge?

Kamchatsu confirmed, "Still in charge, and no-one seems to be disputing it, or not with any following."

Abensur appeared a little later, and said that a change of leadership didn't mean that disobedience and insolence would be tolerated.

Valencio stared at him intently, and then looked away, not wanting to know. Abensur did not believe it possible that Zhor and Najia would keep their position. And Abensur knew people.

Not long after breakfast, Zhor and Najia reappeared, and spoke to Carol and Helene. They appeared to be at ease, and yet they never pocketed their wands. They didn't stay long, but listened to the small amount of information that Helene could pass on, that there appeared to be no immediate threat.

Valencio tried knowing the mind of Najia. Zhor might feel him. Or she might if he was really doing something, and not just imagining he was doing something. But this time, he was almost sure. That Najia was thinking that even if they managed to hold on, eighty-one medj could not be freed, not knowing what they knew. It was what he'd concluded himself. Why had he hoped?

Tasha found Valencio leaning against the fence that day. His face was sad in repose, very sad. She touched him, and he jumped. "What is it, Valencio?" she asked.

He was honest, "They said they want to free us. But they can't. Even if they hold power, we're still here forever."

Tasha said, "They can't?"

Valencio shook his head, "We know too much, and would cause trouble. I heard Abimael, I think, this morning. He was looking at me, and I felt his worry that we were being given false hope."

"You heard his actual thought?"

"I think so, though it's the first time."

"Have you tried with us? With me?"

"No, not with my friends. It would not be fair."

Tasha was silent a moment, even reaching forward, tentatively, to touch the fence. After a moment, she jerked her hand away. Slowly, she said, "I've been here since I was a child of thirteen. It frightens me, the idea of being suddenly free. If they just opened the gates, what would we do?"

"Go, without a moment's hesitation. Whatever freedom holds, surely it cannot be worse than being a prisoner."

Tasha said doubtfully, "It could be worse."

"You'd be with me."

Tasha smiled at him, wanting him to think she trusted him, "Of course. It would be alright because I was with you."

The women were disturbed, nervous, some even frightened of the changes. Mixing, exploring each other's enclosures. Gloria was insolent, and Thuli punished, but only by paralysing a leg for a while, and it soon wore off. The guards were convinced they had to keep a tight control now, but severe punishment might bring down even more severe retribution on their own heads.

The three girls found Valencio, who was swimming, and whistled at him, so that he pulled himself out of the water. Brigitta looked at his naked body appreciatively. Abensur may have been giving her a great deal of pleasure, but he had a very ordinary body. The other two didn't even notice his sleek perfection.

Inge beamed at Valencio, "Botan's been dismissed. I hope he never, ever comes back."

"You're still on holiday?"

"Yes, but they haven't said for how long, and Helene cautions me not to hope too much. That they may not last."

Evita said, with a query in her voice, "Someone said you were trying to get on the roof last night?"

"I used to be able to in the old enclosures. I thought it worth checking."

"Did you find any new weapons?"

"Marietta had one of those metal combs. I wouldn't have thought them silly enough to let one get near me."

"What do you do with them?"

Valencio pulled his penetrating instrument from his pocket, and showed them how he'd modified it from a comb like Marietta's. He added, "When you make any weapon, you have to think very hard that it's for an entirely peaceful purpose. For instance, instead of sharpening this so that it can gouge into the eye of a bloody wizard, maybe the brain, you think of it as a comb that's being changed a little in order to make a fancy hairdo. Then their weapon-detecting gadget won't find it."

"They must be due to do a search again any day."

"They usually wait until I'm working. But it's years since they found anything I wanted to hide."

Helene said sharply, as she strode towards them, "Valencio, what are you showing them?"

Valencio looked up, unrepentant, "A weapon. I'm not saying they shouldn't do whatever's needed to survive now, but conditions are changing. It seems to me we all should be practising with whatever weapons we can find or make."

Helene hesitated, and finally said, "You're probably right. Just so long as no-one does anything foolish."

Inge said quickly, "I won't do anything foolish."

"Nor I," said Evita.

Helene asked, "Brigitta?"

Brigitta looked up slowly, and said, "I don't want Valencio to hurt Abensur."

Valencio said soothingly, "I won't hurt Abensur." Or only if he started killing them, or maybe was the only obstacle to an escape. But that wasn't likely. The threat of being killed had receded, at least temporarily, but Valencio thought the prospect of escape as remote as ever.

Zhor and Najia didn't visit for a few days. There was tension and uncertainty among the Khatabi-Richi, but no-one made a move to take the leadership away from the young Khatabi cousins. Tahar and Hamza were still gone, presumably gone for good, rather than dispute with their female cousins, not much older than themselves.

Inge and Evita came quietly to Valencio, and asked how his tiny blades could kill. He cautioned, "Only if things change. No point killing anyone at the moment."

"If you tell us to?"

Valencio grinned ruefully, "I could have had half of us killed when I was a teenager with a half-baked idea of rushing the guards. If I tell you to kill someone, check with Carol or Helene."

Inge persisted, "How, though?"

He put his hand to his neck, and said, "Feel for the pulse. You have to strike in exactly the right place, but if you slit the carotid artery, it only takes minutes to die."

"I can't find a pulse."

He found it for her, and then suggested she find the one on Evita, and then the one on himself. Either side.

Inge asked, "And then you just cut?"

"Push in firmly, without fiddling around. They're Fighters and won't stay still while you dither. But only if Carol or Helene say. Or if they're killing us all anyway, or something."

Inge nodded soberly, "We'll be sensible. I didn't realise how easy it is to kill."

"It's easy enough if you take them off guard."

"You only killed one, though."

"Only one, though I tried for a couple more. As I said, it's only easy if you take them off guard, and even then, you've got to choose exactly the right spot, otherwise they only have a bleeding cut, which makes them mad, not dead."

Inge said, "But anyway, say one of us was in a wizard's own bedroom, and he didn't lock the door. Say we killed him. What would we do then?"

"If it was me, I'd steal a robe, and try and bluff my way out the gate. It'd have to be at night, though. The wizards all have long hair."

"Do you think you'd succeed?"

"Not a chance. I think they'd recognize me. It wouldn't stop me trying. I've always been a fool that way."

The girls glanced at each other. Helene had given them very firm instructions not to take seriously any ideas of escape that they might hear from Valencio. Inge said, "We might just practise with the weapons, and maybe practise knowing exactly where the place is to kill."

Evita nodded. "Every day."

"Practise keeping them hidden as well then. But don't be stupid. Knowing how to kill never did me any good."

"Shirley told me they used to search you all the time. But they never found the weapon."

Valencio demonstrated his techniques, and they tried to copy him, but only resulting in a cut finger for Evita.

The next day, the girls had Ingrid with them, and the day after, Nikola and Bridget. It was mentioned at a Committee meeting. Kaliska was concerned, but Helene said, "Inge told me that he says they're not allowed to kill anyone without asking the Committee first."

Carol laughed, "Well, that's something!"

Hilde said, "From the wizards' point of view, it would only have been prudent to kill him years ago."

"I hope the wizards never find out that his murderous ideas are spreading!"

"He would say it's not murder. Just what they deserve."

"Maybe it is. After all, that's what we were frightened of, that one day, all of us in Enclosure 2 would be killed."

"Thank goodness for the new leadership. If only they can hold on..."

"No freedom, though."

Carol sighed. No freedom.

Abensur knew it would be more prudent just to leave, as several others had done. He had not the faintest idea what to do with the surviving prisoners in Enclosure 3. The reason he stayed was Brigitta, now cuddled against his chest. The lovemaking was finished, but his hand gently stroked the swell of her hip. For a treacherous moment, he wished she was not medj. He could have married her if she was Ania, but she was only a dirt-girl.

Brigitta put up a hand and caressed his cheek. Very softly, she said, "I get homesick sometimes."

Abensur prepared to be brisk. She would never go home, and should have accepted it by now. But she went on. "At Easter, we always have Easter eggs. It would give me such pleasure if we could all have Easter eggs."

"Easter eggs?"

Brigitta said, "Chocolate eggs, wrapped in bright paper." And in a firm tone, "It's a religious obligation. All Christians have to eat chocolate on Easter Friday, best if it's in the form of Easter eggs."

On Easter Friday, breakfast was brought in, as usual, and the men of Enclosure 3 stared in disbelief as Abensur led in two servants carrying large baskets of Easter eggs.

Bill laughed incredulously. "You use us as guinea pigs for your spells, you torture us, and then you turn around and give us Easter eggs?"

Abensur said, "I was told it was a religious obligation for all Christians to eat Easter eggs on Easter Friday. Is that not true?"

Harry nudged Bill, and said, "Oh yes, definitely true!" And to laughter and hilarity, the men feasted on Easter eggs instead of fruit, cereal and bread rolls.

Among the prisoners of Enclosure 3 was one called Jimmy Rawlings. He'd been inflicted with the Confusion Spell every day for weeks. At first, it was just to show the students what happened when it was put on repeatedly, but it was being continued for longer than planned, experimentally. Suma and Zola thought it would be a humane method of keeping Zhor and Najia under control, happy while they had the desperately needed babies - but only if they didn't organise something themselves.

At first, the effect had only lasted a half hour before wearing off, but after the first few days, it took longer to wear off. Jimmy was no longer capable of clear thought. He'd been a soldier not very long ago. Now there was always someone close to look after him, make sure he didn't drown in the pool, for instance. He was not unhappy, and smiled like a child when Hammond handed him an Easter egg from the basket.

Carol laughed to Helene when the Easter eggs were brought in to them. "It's what you get when a child has an influence with the boss!"

Helene smiled, "I always had a sweet tooth. I'm not complaining."

Zhor and Najia didn't complain, either. Clarence did, though only to the other prisoners. He didn't like chocolate, but when Najia went to take one without him trying some first, Zhor told her sternly that they couldn't relax for a moment. "If you find yourself waking up in your own bed, Clarence, and not knowing how you got there, don't envy us. We're lost."

Najia and Zhor treated Clarence as a human being, called him Clarence, rather than No. 15, and didn't turn away from him as a 'dirt-person.' He thought they were wonderful. He thought Zhor could do anything. But Zhor and Najia were very aware that their reign was shaky, and they were living on their nerves.

The ones in Enclosure 1 relished the luxury of having only one a night, and were treated with care and consideration by their clients, who didn't want to be dismissed by the new leaders for 'gratuitous cruelty,' as Madam Zhor had called it. Inge and Evita were still having a holiday, and were looking happier than anyone had seen them. The novelty of being able to mingle was a pleasure to some, yet few of those in Enclosure 2 seemed interested in visiting Enclosure 1. Valencio felt almost ill just being there. Some of the older women seemed frightened of the changes, and tended to avert their eyes when the younger women explored the larger enclosure.

Brigitta stayed with Abensur, giving and receiving pleasure, every night, and making everyone else feel safer, as well. While Abensur told her that he loved her, he was not likely to dispose of slaves, even if Zhor and Najia did lose power.

The weeks went by, with little further change. Clarence reported that Zhor was beginning to look very thin. She was not the only one. Many of the medj were very restless, not sleeping, a few not even eating properly.

Valencio was perfectly calm again, fatalistic, and a comfort for many of the women. Emma clung to him, Thierry as well. Carol consulted him, unhappy that he said the girls simply didn't know how to free them, that they were increasingly uncomfortable when talking with them. At least, he said that he could gain no hint from the guards that they might be deposed.

_xchapter endx_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is now 'The Great Wizard' and his name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 5:_

It had been nearly five weeks since the change of leadership, and was the middle of the morning. Valencio was pacing, feeling awful, not knowing why. His agitation was contagious, and again, as when Zhor and Najia had first walked in, women armed themselves, ready for something to happen. Hilde and Tasha were with Valencio, trying to find out what he knew or could sense, but he could tell them nothing, just pacing, frantically almost. But then he stopped, and said, "It's alright, it's finished now."

Tasha said, "What's finished?"

Valencio shook his head. "Sorry to worry you. It was probably just my imagination. Things get very real sometimes."

Hilde shook her head. She thought it most unlikely that it was just his imagination.

No-one hindered Mariabella when she hurried to the enclosures, though Kamchatsu looked at her with narrowed eyes. They must be getting a lot of their information from Hicham's woman.

The moment Kofi-Zee let her in, she called out, "Quick, everyone here."

People came running from all directions, Valencio one of the first. Were they dead? Was that what he'd felt? Or just hurt, maybe.

Mariabella was almost turning in circles in her excitement. "There was a fight, and someone new is here, and it has to be the great wizard, except he was in really ordinary clothes. Zhor and Najia sterilised each other, and then some of the Khatabi-Richi tried to hit them with spells, and their guard tried to stop them, some of them, anyway."

"What started it?"

"Zhor said that there was an Enclosure 3..." Mariabella stopped, took a deep breath, and concentrated, "Madam Zhor said - 'it's where medj prisoners are used to practise the serious curses. No prisoner leaves there alive. It is a wicked thing. This is a wicked family. Najia and I have pronounced judgement. The Khatabi Family is sentenced to extinction.' And then they faced each other, and Hicham told me it was the Nala Spell, the same as they do to us."

There was a silence, broken by Valencio. "She said the Khatabi Family is sentenced to extinction!"

Mariabella smiled at him, "That's what she said."

Valencio gave a crack of laughter, grabbed Tasha and whirled her around in the air. "The end of the bastards!" he exulted. "And from one who might have become the leader of the whole blasted, evil family!"

Mariabella watched him, and laughed with him. It was their signal, that Valencio thought it a good thing, and there was more laughter and rejoicing.

Outside, Kamchatsu and Kofi-Zee looked at each other, and said, "At least someone's happy!"

Kofi-Zee said, "Well, maybe it _was_ a silly obsession, to breed more and more powerful wizards. As Bellamy said."

Kamchatsu admitted, "I wasn't there in time, but a lot of people have been saying that."

"Fudo's put himself firmly behind the leaders. I expected him just to take them prisoner."

"Not with the great wizard there. If he could defeat Yiko and Ahjmed and all the others, what chance do mere Khatabi-Richi have?"

Mariabella continued to talk, quickly, excitedly, "He was in old jeans, and a shirt that was faded. He wasn't very big, and he wore glasses. He had black hair, and just an ordinary short haircut, yet he made everybody frightened, and they became silent. And then there was a big white cloud over us all, and it was like his voice came from all around, or from the cloud, and he said that Zhor and Najia were his friends, and if they said they were the leaders, then they were. And not a one argued."

She continued to talk, describing the great wizard again, in detail, how he'd taken control, and then stepped back, and looked ordinary again, and left it to Zhor.

At last Helene said, "Do you think you should go back to Hicham?"

Mariabella nodded. "Of course. I'll come back as soon as I can."

"There's an Enclosure 3," Tasha said to Valencio. "We always knew there had to be something like that, unless they simply went to a city, and murdered people picked up off the streets."

Tasha nodded, "I guess we just didn't like to think about it. Just knew that we'd stop seeing the boys by the time they're sixteen, and when we see them again, they're nearly all Fighters."

"The other prisoners, they'd be men, probably. I'd like to talk to men for a change. Aside from Clarence, I know no men."

"You don't count the wizards as men?"

Valencio replied flatly, "They're Anirage. A different species. A species without morals or ethics. I don't count wizards as men."

Tasha said quietly, "I never really thought about it. That the only man you know is Clarence."

Valencio grinned, "Not that I don't like women."

Tasha laughed. That was obvious! She asked, "How many were there yesterday?"

"It's just that some are so unsettled at the moment. And while Gloria and Farfalla need more, the others only asked to be held for a while. They say to be held by a man makes them feel more safe." He grinned, "And Tatiana told me that they're not allowed to risk exhausting me, as a wife must not be deprived."

Tasha grinned, "That's good."

Lunch came, the guards and kitchen staff refusing to talk. More hours went by, only interrupted by Clarence who was hungry. "They wouldn't let me eat, and they were mostly just waiting for Bellamy to come back. They say he's always called just Bellamy. But the witches they kidnapped are home, the ones mated by Tahar and Hamza. He took them by apparation, which is instant, but usually its range is only a few hundred miles."

"What's apparation?"

"Just that a wizard vanishes from one spot, and reappears in another. Instant."

"Why have we never seen it then?"

Clarence shrugged. He didn't know.

"So has Bellamy gone then?"

"The leaders expect him back. They didn't tell me where he'd gone."

Valencio said quietly to Tasha, "Fahad told me once that even after a few months' imprisonment, a freed slave would probably end up in an institution. They can make people forget things, but maybe not very well."

"So those others are here for life, like us?"

"I guess. I wonder if we might be allowed to talk to them." But then he shook his head. Maybe not. They'd look at him, and know exactly why he was here. How could he ever look a man in the face? Only Clarence, who'd gone through the same as he had.

Many of the prisoners were excited, some nervously hopeful, while others, especially the older ones, acted as if nothing had changed. Tasha admitted to her husband, "The uncertainty... It's killing me."

Valencio squeezed her, and said, "Whatever happens now, it sounds like the Khatabis are going to be reformed whether they like it or not. It's good!"

Carol asked him, "Do you think we could be allowed free now?"

Valencio shook his head. "I don't think there's any question of it, even if Zhor and Najia are confirmed in charge. This Bellamy, he's still a wizard, and will not allow us to make trouble."

"Would you make trouble if you could?"

Valencio laughed, "Would I ever! I'd kill the whole blasted lot of them! Women, babies, the lot. And then I'd go on and kill every blasted wizard in the world." He shook his head, "They should not exist. They prey on ordinary, decent people. What they have done to us, to all of us - it's unforgivable."

Carol said, "Don't talk like that in front of Brigitta, will you? She's fond of Abensur."

"I know, and Bridget is fond of Salo-Zar, and Eva of Zhang, and Mariabella of Hicham." He admitted, "I cried when Arikiyo died, and yet he was a murdering, raping wizard, the same as any of them."

Tasha repeated quietly, "You cried...?"

He shrugged uncomfortably, and she didn't say anything further.

It was getting towards five o'clock in the afternoon, and Abensur walked in, quite casually, though Kofi-Zee and Kamchatsu were also there. "Assemble the Committee," he instructed. "It's time for a conference." He glanced around as they were quickly surrounded, and said, "Only the Committee at this point, but others can listen."

Valencio usually kept well away from Abensur, as well as any other wizard. This time he was close, and listening intently. Tasha was at his side, Emma standing close at the other. He made her feel safe. Thierry was on the outskirts of the crowd. She, too, would have liked to hold his hand, but he was too close to Abensur.

Abensur glanced briefly at Valencio, taking in his mood. He didn't appear to be about to start hitting wizards, though he caught the eye of Kamchatsu, and gave a significant glance towards Valencio. Kamchatsu nodded. He'd be ready.

Abensur started giving information. "John Bellamy is here. He is the great English wizard, who used to be known as Henry Bellamy. The same one. He has put himself very firmly behind Zhor and Najia, who are now most unlikely to be deposed. I'm sure you've heard by now that there is an Enclosure 3. John Bellamy has taken those prisoners away. They are being freed."

Helene had to interrupt, "Us, too? Could we be freed?"

Abensur replied gravely, "The prisoners of Enclosure 3 have been here a little over four months. They've been made to forget, made to remember being held by medj terrorists for ransom. John Bellamy said he could do that, though I doubt any other could. But you, how long have you been here, Helene?"

Helene said quietly, "More than half my life."

Abensur nodded. "The older ones, they've been here thirty, forty years. To take that from you would be to remove most of your life. You could not recover."

There was a long, depressed silence. Valencio asked softly, "Abensur, is there any way?"

Abensur looked at him with a memory of the thirteen-year-old boy whose cuffs he'd changed, as he screamed that he was _not_ a slave. The boy who'd never accepted his status. He knew consciously that the boy was a man, and a potentially dangerous man, but he still saw the desperate boy. _Was_ there any way? Maybe for the great wizard, there could be. He spoke directly to Valencio, "If we asked him, maybe he could make a pendreiya. If you were all under unbreakable instructions not to talk about magic or wizards, then maybe you could be freed. We could ask."

Valencio stared at him. Freedom? Freedom maybe? Could it be true? A pendreiya on him. There was already a pendreiya on him. Yiko had put one on, and then Bellamy had put a pendreiya on Yiko, and on Narzu-Han and all the others. He spoke very softly, just the bare word, "Freedom."

He felt ill, and looked down, shaking his head. Tasha held him firmly, and he muttered, "Just going to sit down a moment." He stumbled a little as he went to the wall and subsided onto the floor, putting his head down between his knees. Freedom, just maybe. Freedom. He was white. Emma sat very close to him, in contact, but Tasha stayed where she had been, looking doubtfully at Abensur.

Others stared at Valencio. He was believing it. Could it be true?

Brigitta asked, "Abensur?"

Abensur smiled at his Favourite, "Only if you want it, of course. Some of you might prefer to stay here where you're protected and safe."

Brigitta said nothing. She must not say to Abensur that she couldn't wait to leave him. They still depended on his goodwill. For Brigitta, it had been three years. What of her Mum and Dad? She was fifteen, and had been a sex slave. Could she go home now?

Inge and Evita were positive they could not go home. Brigitta was not as soiled, but those two... How many men had there been?

Valencio glanced up, and looked straight at Kamchatsu and Kofi-Zee. It seemed they still had him under their eye. Kamchatsu, resentful. He didn't want the ones of Enclosure 1 freed, though indifferent to those in Enclosure 2. Kofi-Zee looked at him with pity. Kofi-Zee didn't believe for a moment they'd be freed. They both had their wands out.

The door of the dining room was opened again, and the assembly turned questioningly. Zhor, Najia, four guards, and last, the man in casual medj dress, looking as if he was entirely at ease. They stared, but he only leaned against the wall and put his hands in his pockets, an observer. Valencio could still hear, though he stayed sitting on the floor and was not visible to the new arrivals.

Najia spoke to Abensur, accusingly, "I thought you would have fled, after what you've done."

Abensur answered, in a calm voice, "I did only what's been done here for centuries, but I did it with more finesse and a great deal more kindness."

Carol put in briefly, "Only because it works better that way."

Valencio listened closely. Carol again, "He told us that some medj prisoners have already been released, ones that we never knew of."

Valencio stayed in his position, trying to extend his senses, trying to listen, not just with his ears. Emma watched him anxiously, the guards warily.

Carol said, "Abensur says that we cannot be allowed to tell everyone what goes on here, or even that magic exists, but he says that Bellamy can make people do what he wants, the way he messed up Hicham."

Bellamy spoke for the first time, with some mild indignation, "Messed him up? For a civilised person, being told that they're not allowed to hurt or rape would not even be noticed."

Valencio smiled. He was right. A pendreiya would never be noticed if you didn't want to do the forbidden thing in any case. But Bellamy was bringing up other problems - families who'd forgotten their missing daughters, the problems of no money, no jobs, too many questions. And yet he wasn't saying no. Just delaying?

Carol interrupted, leaning forward, "We want to be free!"

The male voice, not excited, not nervous. "I've been a prisoner, more than once. I understand."

Clarence said suddenly, aggressively, "We've been raped, tortured, made to submit to whatever they want, as well as imprisoned. How can you understand us?"

Bellamy said calmly, "I've had a long life. I have also been tortured, even raped."

The voice instilled calm, as if it came from a centre of great wisdom. Valencio was suddenly reminded of Yiko. This was a similar powerful wizard. He shook his head. What was he doing, hoping? You could not trust a wizard!

The mild voice came again, clear in the respectful silence of those around. "What I can offer is a home, like an institution. You'll be free to come and go, you'll be provided with whatever you need, and you can contact family. A more gradual transition than simply throwing you on the streets of Casablanca, for instance."

A home! Like an institution, free to come and go! Kamchatsu raised his wand a touch further, covering Valencio, threatening. Valencio didn't notice.

Abensur spoke very firmly, wanting it to be true. "Brigitta is staying with me of course. I need her."

Brigitta replied, even more firmly, "There are plenty of female servants. Try being nice to one of those."

"Brigitta!"

"Being nice to you was survival. My love for you is as genuine as your concern for the so-called dirt-people."

The members of the Committee thought Brigitta foolish. She should not burn bridges. There was a minor commotion, and Emma craned to see, before saying quietly to Valencio, but with a grin, "Abensur couldn't have liked it, and someone's put him under semi-paralysis."

"Abensur?"

Emma nodded, and giggled. The discussion resumed, it seemed, without Abensur. Valencio wondered if maybe he'd been silenced, as well. Abensur! How often had the wizards put him under paralysis and silenced him? Now it was Abensur! Things had changed. Freedom?

He didn't get to his feet. He didn't want this powerful wizard to see him. It might wreck everything. Valencio was no longer thinking very clearly. He was thirty now, and this man was not Yiko. He would not find himself under a new owner. Surely no-one would want a man of thirty, not like that. He didn't get up.

Details were settled, but still most of the medj were unbelieving. Several of them looked for Valencio. He would know whether they should be happy, or whether they should be worried. But Valencio was of no help, very pale still, and with his eyes closed. Both Kamchatsu and Kofi-Zee still had him under their wands, very ready to take action if needed.

More talk. Carol asked that they be allowed freedom within the Compound, but Madam Zhor refused. They were to continue as at present, and Zhor requested that they cooperate with the guards. On the other hand, meetings with any wizard for sex were to be only by mutual consent. They were to be well treated in every way, except that they were still not allowed freedom.

Bellamy said apologetically, "I'll organise something just as soon as I can. Within a week, if possible."

Within a week! Freedom within a week! Valencio started to tremble.

Emma sat very close, next to him. She would not have believed it, but Valencio was trembling.

There was no rejoicing in the Enclosures when they left. Helene admitted to Carol, "I just don't believe it."

"Neither do I, and when I let myself hope, I'm scared."

Clarence had his arm tight around his wife, Bernice. Clarence said, "I've been with those girls every mealtime, except a few times when Kaliska did it instead. They can be trusted." He didn't think he believed in freedom though.

Little Inge spoke up. "He was right. We need somewhere to go. I don't think my parents would have me back, not after the things I've done."

Helene said quietly, "You girls have saved our lives. It's one thing I would not have wanted to forget, how very, very brave you've been."

Inge smiled, but tears were beginning, and she assumed an air of calm, and said, "I'm going for a swim."

Evita said, "Me too," and also vanished.

A guard came for Clarence. It was time for their leaders' dinner. Valencio pulled himself shakily to his feet, and looked for Tasha. He thought he wanted to lie down for a while, and he wanted his Tasha.

Tasha laughed at him, "Even if it doesn't happen, you don't have to faint!"

Valencio grinned ruefully, "I always was a fool!"

Tasha hugged him, but said, "I'm not letting myself hope. Maybe we should just ask for some sporting equipment and board games to keep us amused. It's more likely to eventuate."

Valencio hoped. It was so long ago that he'd put aside his desperate desire for freedom, knowing it to be an impossible dream. It was no longer an impossible dream.

After lunch the following day, Clarence reported, "He said his secretaries and the British DMT are looking for a place for us right now." Before they asked, he clarified, "The DMT is the governing body of wizardry in Britain." He continued, "He's going to make what he calls an App. Box, which will take up to fifteen at a time, he says probably Scotland, where there's plenty of space."

"Scotland," Tasha said to Valencio, who seemed little better than he'd been the previous day. No other was as tense as Valencio, most of them patiently waiting to see whether it could possibly be true. Life as a prisoner had made most of them somewhat fatalistic, though it hadn't stopped them doing their best to ensure their survival. Most of the 'favourites' had been with their men the previous night, just as usual, and reported, surprised, that the men didn't seem to be worrying as much as expected about the presence of the English wizard who'd 'destroyed' their family.

Valencio said, "They've been taught to be obedient from the cradle. Zhor, Najia, now Bellamy, they're not allowing any sign of doubt to show in their behaviour. It's why they're getting away with it."

Carol looked at him thoughtfully, "You could be right." She was spending time with Valencio, regarding his behaviour almost as a barometer. If Valencio was excited, there was reason to be excited. If he became fearful, then it was time to arm themselves.

Word came back. Already there was an App. Box in progress. Zeeko, Shar-kutsu, Chippo, they were all working with the great wizard to make the escape of the medj possible. "No-one seems to be disputing," reported Mariabella. "He has a guard of four, and so do Zhor and Najia, and Fudo is behind them, or appears to be. Ryuichi is working with them as well. Hicham mostly hides, but he talks to people, and quite often they don't even realise I'm there, close by, listening as hard as I can."

Clarence reported after dinner, "He says Stage 1 of the App. Box is finished, and he wants us to nominate someone to apparate with him, and inspect whatever places are in prospect." He grinned. "Zhor rebukes him because he starts eating without waiting for me. But he says he can't remember how many times people have tried to poison him, and he nearly always knows straightaway."

Carol laughed, "_Nearly_ always?"

"That's what Zhor said, and he just grinned at her and said, _Nearly always_."

Clarence shook his head. "He's surrounded by enemies, and he acts as if he's thoroughly enjoying himself."

"He's supposed to be the great wizard. Isn't he frightening to be with?"

"The Khatabi - the powerful ones - they could send chills and not even try. John Bellamy, he's like a mischievous boy almost, except that sometimes, he speaks, and it's like..." He hesitated, and shook his head, and then in a low voice, "You listen, and you believe." He looked frankly at Carol, "He's going to get us out of here. I believe it now."

But he didn't really believe it. Clarence was fifty-eight years old, and had been a prisoner since he was eleven. He was like many of them. He _wanted_ to believe it, maybe even thinking he did believe it, but unable to. Many chose not to even think of the possibility. They were frightened of freedom, frightened of a new environment. They were frightened of getting into trouble because they wouldn't know what to do. Some were still pretending that nothing at all had changed. They were the older ones, who walked past the gap in the intervening fence as if it was just not there. The ones who didn't want to talk to those from Enclosure 1, who shouldn't be mixing with them.

_*hpdividerhp*_

There was a formal dinner for the Khatabis remaining, Suma, Bouchra, Hicham and Haru, as well as Zhor, Najia and Bellamy. Driss was there as Suma's partner, and, to everyone's amazement, Mariabella was there as Hicham's partner, in a shirt with long sleeves that covered the number on her arm, and no numbers on her new clothes, either. Bridget and Nikola were close, in a separate room, acting as tasters, being very well behaved, and listening to every word spoken.

Mariabella reported afterwards, "It was supposed to be like a welcoming dinner for the new leaders, though several weeks late. Everything was absolute luxury, about fifteen exquisite courses, and served by female servants..." She shook her head. "What they thought of serving a dirt-woman!"

"Was Driss there?"

"Driss was there. Hicham says he and Suma have been together about fifteen years. I asked him once why they didn't marry, and he looked surprised, and said that he supposed they could, except that Suma was Khatabi."

Inge asked, giggling, "What on earth did you talk about?"

Mariabella laughed. "It was very awkward, but Bouchra was very kind, and talked to me about medj fashions. She said we'd have to ask Abensur for more clothes, and not with numbers on. And then Haru and Bellamy started talking about the magic involved in making an App. Box."

"We will need more clothes, and maybe warmer ones."

Hope began to grow, and it became harder for them to be calm. Valencio was a very long way from calm. Abensur carefully explained that it would not be prudent for them to wander freely yet, as well as being against the orders of Madam Zhor. He handed them several copies of American newspapers, full of stories and interviews of the rescued men of Enclosure 3.

Valencio stayed well in the background. He was unsafe and had to keep his head down, but he still wanted to hear what was happening.

_*hpdividerhp*_

Abensur appeared the following morning, and offered to escort six people around the Compound. Valencio jumped at the chance. He couldn't not go, and surely he had that much sense, not to start lashing out for no reason. He put on a carefree grin, stood, and said, "I'll risk it!"

Abensur started. He hadn't seen him there, sitting against the wall, behind a few of the others.

Valencio ignored the swiftly raised wands of the guards, and asked, "Tasha?"

She nodded.

Carol said, "Georgia, Adelbert, if you want, also Mildred and Veronica." Those who'd been subject to most cruelty recently, but not the ones from Enclosure 1. Not yet. None refused the treat, though most were nervous.

Abensur said casually, "Kofi-Zee, Thuli, guards."

Valencio's eyes flicked to him. It was obvious that he wasn't trusted, and he wondered if he'd be forbidden to go, or if more guards would be called, just to watch him. Maybe they were right. It was terribly difficult to be calm and sensible these days.

Abensur didn't call extra guards, in case it precipitated a confrontation. He knew perfectly well how tense the boy was.

Except for a very few, the prisoners' experiences of the Khatabi Compound had previously been limited to bedrooms and classrooms. Hardly any of them had even seen any of the women, except for the healer, now and then, and quite recently, her trainees. Abensur pointed things out, "Manager's offices, kitchens, where your meals are prepared, library, young children's classrooms - they have school from the age of three, women's quarters..."

They were quiet, still a little apprehensive. Valencio was silent. Everywhere they went, he was pointed out. He hadn't realised that his notoriety had only grown with the years.

Abensur was also surprised. He understood the looks on the faces of the men. Valencio was a full grown man, tall and strong. It couldn't be just his looks, but it was obvious that some of those watching him would have him bent over a Brieke-tei again if they had the slightest opportunity, and neither Yiko nor Narzu-Han were around to stop them. He would not allow Valencio to leave the enclosure again, he thought, and glanced at the slave's expressionless face. He wasn't the only one who'd felt the meaning of those stares.

There were women around as well, in robes of a slightly different styling to those of the men, showing the yellow flash of Khatabi-Richi, all with one or more coloured stripes on left shoulders, almost always adjoining the black stripe of seniority. Some of the younger ones hadn't even known of the slaves until Mariabella had started being seen sometimes with Hicham. Now there they were, five women in dull coloured shorts and shirts, numbers on their arms, and the young man, dressed the same, also numbered, and with wrist and ankle cuffs besides.

They stared curiously, disapprovingly, more so when they took in the lustful expressions of some of the men. The dirt-women were all older, two very thin, and Kei Khatabi-Richi was incredulous to realise that it was the young man whom their gaze was focused on. Her anger began to build. No wonder it was so difficult to find a husband or even a lover among the men!

There was a woman in a wheelchair by herself, who raised a hand to the group. Valencio remembered seeing her a long time ago, though she was fatter now. Bouchra Khatabi. Nusa'pei had said she had no power to change things, but things were changing now. Were they changing for the crippled lady as well?

Abensur pointed at Bellamy. "He's making your transport."

Valencio stared. Just an average sized man, as Mariabella had said. Short hair, black with some white, though he looked younger than he did himself. In jeans and a shirt that would have been very colourful if it wasn't so faded. He hadn't seen dress like that in eighteen years!

He wished he could hide. He didn't want to be seen by the powerful wizard, even if he did pretend to be only ordinary. He was a wizard, as the Khatabis were wizards. Could he really care about their welfare? He didn't appear to have noticed them so far. Four Khatabi Fighters stood around, and Valencio cringed internally as eyes lingered on him. He kept his expression impassive.

"His wife was a medj, until she died," said Abensur, trying to reassure the slaves, who were only medj as well, and probably didn't believe that Bellamy could care about them.

"We're going in that?" Tasha said to Abensur.

"Instantly to the other side of the world. Only the great wizard could do that!"

Adelbert shivered, "I can't. I'm sure it will kill us."

Tasha laughed at her. "Considering what a knife edge we've lived on so long, I thought you'd have more courage by now."

Adelbert smiled back. "I was nearly dead not so long ago. You're right. I'll be brave."

Valencio hardly heard them, and anyway, the comments were not sincere. None of them actually believed they would be freed.

There was a sudden clatter. Zeeko was staring at Valencio, and had dropped something. Valencio ignored him.

Bellamy emerged again from the box, and said, "Okay, everybody stand back."

Except for the 'Okay,' he spoke Arabic as easily as they did themselves. He went back inside, and after a moment, the box glowed. He came out again and consulted with Zeeko, who still looked distracted. "Pull it all out, we'll try again."

He noticed his audience then, and joined them. Abensur introduced him to everyone, using English, and the wizard's language also switched to English, as he said, "Decide on someone whom you all trust, to say if a place is suitable. Also, ask around, take a vote. I want to know if you'd rather go somewhere that's not yet ready, and will mean you have to work, or wait here for a bit longer until it's fully prepared."

Tasha smiled, "I think we'd all be prepared to sleep in the open rather than wait here a moment longer than we have to."

Bellamy grinned at them in their light clothing, and said to Abensur, "It's a lot colder where we're going, certainly far too cold for bare feet. They need shoes and socks, warmer clothes, and a suitcase each for their possessions."

Abensur bowed his head in the standard gesture of respect and obedience, as if Bellamy was a Khatabi Elder.

"And get those ghastly numbers off them!"

He took in then that Valencio wore wrist and ankle cuffs as well, and looked accusingly at Abensur.

Abensur said quickly, "The cuffs as well, as soon as we're back in the enclosure," though he thought it would really be better to hobble him, maybe even keep him under a Spell of Calm for the next few days. Valencio was unpredictable, and very fast when he attacked.

Bellamy hurried back to the workers. "Don't use magic. Magic leaves traces."

Zeeko looked up, puzzled. Bellamy ran a hand through his hair, "It all has to be manual, or the track gets confused."

Zeeko said sorry, and looked at the neat rolls of wire in his hand. Bellamy glanced at the wire, and it turned bright red. "Put it away somewhere, and it can be used for other things. Just not this. Nothing must be touched with magic, and no magic should be used in its construction."

Zeeko said, "I'll order in some more, as quickly as possible."

Bellamy nodded, and said, "It should not even be moved with magic. Get some of those great fighting wizards doing something useful with their muscles for a change!"

There was laughter, and he said, "Do it the way I want, and I'll bring us back some beer for knockoff time."

Valencio wondered that he seemed now so friendly with former enemies. Could he be trusted? He was a bloody wizard, the same as the others. And yet... His gaze roamed over those helping. There was no hint that the App. Box was anything other than transport.

Zeeko raised his voice. "Chippo, if you even touch your wand, I'll take it off you. No magic, he said."

Zeeko would show it in his behaviour if it was a box just to kill them. He didn't need any telepathy to read Zeeko.

Zeeko shot him a look, and this time, he held his gaze. What was it he felt from him? Guilt? It was about the past, nothing to do with the App. Box that would take him away. But he didn't know whether what he felt from Zeeko was real, or only his own imaginings. What he so desperately wanted.

Abensur gave them a few more minutes, and then said, "Back to the enclosure, and I'll take another group."

Valencio still stared at the App. Box. Would the plain looking box really take him away? Freedom?

Kofi-Zee touched him on the arm and said his name. He jumped, painfully, and Kamchatsu raised his wand. They must know how hard it was to be calm. He turned and walked after the others. He wondered what they'd do if Veronica, for instance, was suddenly disobedient. No-one was watching Veronica, while the three guards scarcely took their eyes off him.

The moment they returned, he strode to the far end of the enclosure, forgetting that Abensur had said something about removing numbers.

Abensur was relieved. It was an excuse not to take off the cuffs. Valencio was so tense now - and the cuffs could definitely be needed. Would it be more or less risky to ask permission to hobble him? They wouldn't want a fuss because one of the prisoners started killing guards. But Abensur was sure that Bellamy was extremely angry with all of them, even if he wasn't showing it. He didn't want him even more angry.

Valencio went and leaned against the fence, staring back into the enclosure. Were they really to be freed? There was not a hint that he'd been able to pick up that there was anything that was not as was stated. And when Tasha and Emma found him, the numbers on their arms were gone.

He stared, and Tasha smiled, but as if frightened, and almost whispered, "We won't be slaves any more."

Emma, oddly, seemed less afraid, and said, "If you go to Abensur, he'll take your number off, too."

Valencio put a hand to his right arm where the hated number was. Could he be trusted with a wizard now? Maybe later. He didn't even go to lunch. He didn't think he could possibly eat, and he should stay right away from wizards. He'd have a biscuit if he was hungry. And when he heard the bell for dinner, he ignored that as well, not even noticing when Tasha and Hilde stopped and just looked at him, before going away again.

Abensur had the report that he was not attending meals, and gave orders that he be treated with great care - care not to provoke him, care that he not be allowed to kill anyone. If he killed anyone now, it could be disastrous for all his medj. He was feeling very possessive now, wanting to see them freed, even Brigitta, though it would mean losing her. Two extra guards at all times when anyone was in the enclosure, and he wanted reports. He wanted to know how the boy was coping.

_*hpdividerhp*_

Late the following day, Carol and Tasha found Valencio mechanically sharpening a blade. Carol announced without preliminaries, "I've seen it. It's real. He showed me two places. You weren't there, but the vote was overwhelming. We've chosen the place where there's an old castle, almost a ruin, and there's mountains and trees, and it's wonderfully untidy, and it's cold and wet and wonderful."

She took his hands as he stood bewildered, and insisted, "It's _real_. You're going to be free! We all are."

Tasha smiled at him, and touched the number on his arm. "When are you going to show yourself to Abensur so he can take this off? You're the only one numbered now."

But Valencio only repeated Carol's words, "Mountains and trees, and it's cold and wet and wonderful."

Carol nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "A half ruined old castle, but he said they'd get in units or something, and there would be a lot of people working very hard to get it ready for us."

Tasha said, "So hard to believe!"

"He said it was apparation. He just put an arm around me, and we were suddenly just there." She laughed, "And I looked around and promptly fainted. I thought I was believing, but I guess I wasn't at all."

Tasha said, "I think I'd faint, as well."

"He said there would be people looking after us. We're not just to be set loose to starve."

Valencio said, "We _will_ be free, though?"

"Oh, yes. If we want, we could leave straightaway."

Tasha said, "How would we live, though, if we did that? I think we'll need to stay a little while, just to get our bearings."

Valencio smiled slowly, "Never to see a wizard again? I'd be happy to starve."

The reactions of others were mixed. Some were enormously excited, others were no longer indifferent. Instead, they were very frightened. Mary hid behind a bush and cried.

Carol said to Hilde, "For goodness sake, keep a watch on Valencio for us. If he does something now, it might wreck everything."

But when Hilde went looking, he answered that he had every intention of keeping right away from wizards. Hilde looked at him consideringly, and then asked, "How long since you've had something to eat?"

"I came in for breakfast..."

"I noticed, only once the wizards were gone, you took just one broki, and took it away with you."

Valencio said defensively, "I had a few biscuits as well..."

Hilde smiled at him, "So you haven't noticed there's more than biscuits left for our use now?"

"Just that I'm not very hungry."

"Come with me now, and you can see what selection of food they've left for us."

Valencio rose and walked with her, after a moment saying, "I'm sorry to worry you, Hilde. I promise I'll try very hard to behave myself."

Hilde touched him gently, "I know you will."

There was quite a large selection of food left available, and Hilde said, "You're not the only one not eating. Abensur arranged extras."

Valencio nibbled a date scone under the stern eye of Hilde, but it was like his throat was closed, and he put it down. He couldn't. He'd only be sick if he tried to eat now.

He was leaning against the fence again when Abensur, Rafu and Kofi-Zee came looking for him. It was the first time in days that he'd even seen the guards. He jumped when he saw them, came swiftly to his feet and waited to be told that it was all a mistake.

Abensur said gently, "Nothing to worry about. I just want to take off your number. You've always hated it."

Valencio nodded uncertainly.

Rafu remarked in a jocular voice, "At least you won't have to carve away half your arm this time..."

Valencio ignored him.

Abensur drew his wand, and again said gently, "Just to take off the number."

Valencio stood still as the wand was pointed, and he was no longer No. 143. He didn't look, just put his left hand up to it and caressed. Between his fingers was a small and very sharp piece of glass, but it was automatic to keep that hidden from his gaolers. Even now it was a daily ritual to practise with it, keeping it concealed, passing it into an opened seam of clothing, and then out again. He'd scarcely spoken to anyone for the last few days, the girls, especially, told to simply leave him alone for the time being.

Abensur took a wary step backward, and said, still in that gentle, calming voice. "That's all. Nothing else. Probably just a couple of days, and make sure and do as Hilde says."

Valencio said nothing as the guards carefully retreated.

Kamchatsu suggested to Abensur, "Maybe we should simply put him under a Bajet stun, and deliver him to Bellamy like that."

Abensur said flatly, "Madam Zhor would not tolerate it. We just have to be very careful."

"He was supposed to be so special." He glanced at Abensur, "If he was stunned, he wouldn't know if he was used again."

Abensur said very coldly, "Valencio would know. I've told you before, put all ideas of using him right out of your head."

Kamchatsu looked at him consideringly, but Abensur didn't flinch. Kamchatsu gave up the idea, though he'd swear that Abensur would like the chance again, as well. To lose all the slaves! All the young ones. It didn't matter about the older ones, but Amber and Angini and Lucy and Eva... He thought they were all his favourites, and felt very bitter that he'd enjoyed none of them since the great wizard had arrived. He'd never treated them cruelly... He liked them, enjoyed them!

Haru had been denied as well. Kamchatsu wished Haru was more of a fighter. If he'd been a proper Khatabi, he could take over leadership, and then they could kill Bellamy, maybe Zhor and Najia as well, seeing they were no good for breeding any more, and they could keep the young and beautiful slaves. Plus Valencio, who'd quite definitely be put back into use. Fancy allowing slaves to refuse certain people!

But Haru was spineless. He'd heard that he'd been seeking Bellamy's company, and that Bellamy had taught him some new type of magic he knew. Kamchatsu concluded that he needed some allies... Yoweri and Abariki? Their complaints had been bitter. There were others of the younger Fighters as well. Abensur? He guessed that Abensur had best die as well. That shouldn't be hard. Abensur hadn't even qualified as a Fighter, and while he would almost certainly not refuse a duel, he'd heard that he'd never won one in his life.

_*hpdividerhp*_

On the sixth day after Bellamy's arrival, Brigitta had the treat of an excursion to Loch Lomand, the name of the Scottish property that was to be their new home.

Much later the same day, Evita had the treat, though she came back subdued, rather than excited. Helene was worried, and Evita agreed that it was all wonderful, and then burst into tears, and said it would never happen, and she wished she hadn't had to come back, but he was so tired, and she didn't want to give trouble.

Three of them had been there now. It was true. Or were they all being lied to? They were only medj, and probably there was magic to make them think it was a real place. Maybe it was just a trick, so they'd go quietly to their deaths.

Valencio shook his head when Mildred said that to him. He didn't think it was a trick. Just that he was so frightened that it wouldn't happen!

He didn't appear at breakfast. Tasha didn't nag. She agreed that it was best he stay right away from the wizards. He missed the gossip, but Treen had the story firsthand, and went to find him. He was leaning against the fence again, and she looked at him disapprovingly, "Tasha said I'd probably find you doing that?"

Valencio looked at her, puzzled, "Doing what?"

"Leaning against the fence."

He quickly moved away from the fence, and pretended he hadn't sought its comfort. No-one understood how it could give comfort. He didn't understand, himself.

Treen said, "I came to tell you something. Rafu told me last night. He had to escort Bellamy back to the leaders' rooms, and he was nearly killed. Someone sent a Death Curse at his back. But he just heard it or something, spun around, and hit it back, killing the one who did it."

"He was nearly killed?"

"Abensur said that people have been trying to kill him since he was a teenager, that he's probably perfectly accustomed to hitting back Death Curses."

"They always say that wizards are honourable, that they believe in fair fights."

"This one wasn't fair, and Bellamy beat him anyway. Rafu was laughing. He said, 'We thought Valencio was fast!' It seems you've been outdone!"

"I hope he doesn't get himself killed."

"Soon now. Maybe tomorrow."

Tomorrow? Valencio nearly reached for the fence again, but stopped himself. He knew he was silly, hurting himself. He had to stop, or at least, not let the women catch him.

Treen handed him a bag with a couple of brokis. "I told Helene I was going to find you, so she said to take these to you."

Valencio smiled and thanked her, and as she was watching him, managed to eat one, and even keep it down.

Tasha found him a little later, still in the same place, though this time he saw her coming in time to move away from the fence, and pretend to be merely reading the book he carried.

Tasha looked at him, amused, and said, "We've all been issued warm clothing, including shoes and socks. Tomorrow morning, he says, but don't rely on it."

"How can you be so calm?"

"I don't know. Maybe I still don't quite believe it. Some of the older ones, they just pretend nothing's happening. They're too afraid of it." And then she ordered him to go back to their room, and they would try on the new clothes. "No numbers," she crowed. "Same revolting colour, but no numbers."

She tried on the clothing, a heavy skirt, and a clumsy looking jumper. "No underwear of course," she remarked.

Valencio said, "You look so different!"

Tasha twirled herself around in front of the mirror, and then went to him, "Hold me?"

Valencio held her tight. Maybe it wasn't just himself who was finding it difficult.

Clarence appeared at the door, wearing baggy trousers, and an expression more confused than happy. Valencio only looked at his new clothes, and then put them carefully in a corner of the room.

"You should try them on," Tasha urged.

Valencio shook his head. He couldn't try them on. It all might just vanish if he tempted fate like that!

Tasha hugged him, and whispered, "Trust him. He's going to take us away from here."

Valencio said softly, "I can't trust. I feel as if it might be some sadistic plot, that it's all a joke on purpose to torment us."

She hugged him, and said confidently, "I'll soon have you fattened up again in Scotland."

_*hpdividerhp*_

Valencio was frightened. They were not going to be allowed to leave, he knew it. Helene was beginning to worry as well, as reports came in from the women who'd been with clients the previous evening.

Angini: "He was laughing, except that I'm not sure he was really laughing. He said he couldn't possibly let me go. I was too beautiful."

Bridget: "Shar-kutsu was very smug. He's persuaded two sisters to promise to marry him. He said it was better than getting angry because they'd be losing the enclosure services."

There were more hints, nothing definite.

Helene and Carol spoke to Abensur in the afternoon, who looked worried, and finally said, "Keep your heads down, as much as you can. And there'd best be no more groups outside the enclosure." He didn't reassure, instead saying decisively, "I'll talk to Fudo, I think. A good thing he's not one of our clients. If Fudo decided not to let you go, it would be very awkward."

Carol said, "Valencio appears to have given up eating entirely, and spends most of his time sitting against the fence. And when he's not sitting against the fence, he's shaking with nerves."

Abensur said seriously, "Try very hard to keep him calm tomorrow, if you can. An explosion now might precipitate fighting."

Helene said, "I'll put Emma in his group. He tries never to upset Emma. It might help."

"Hilde, too, would be good. If only he was more trusting, I'd suggest a calming potion."

Helene said definitely, "He wouldn't take it."

Helene and Carol spoke about it with the Committee, but then the talk switched back to their prospective new home, 'Loch Lomand.' Helene had made the trip with Bellamy that morning, and spoke sometimes shakily. "Mountains, and it's wild and free, just like Carol said." She laughed, "Two tall girls in school uniform, though with capes, who ran to him, shrieking Dad!"

Carol said, "Valencio wants us all to be armed, just in case there's a last minute change of mind."

"What do you think?"

Carol was quiet, and then said, "He gave me something a long time ago, just a shard of glass attached to a thin stick, but it's very sharp, and is a weapon. Freedom's worth fighting for, I think."

Freedom was worth fighting for, but now the mood swung back to wild optimism. The Committee Meeting expanded to a full meeting. They had to have some sort of a cover story to explain their presence. They finally decided that close to the truth was best, and would say, if pressed, but not unless pressed, that they'd been in the harem of an Arab Sheik.

Tiffany asked, "Can I say they took me because I won a Miss America contest?"

"Did you?"

Tiffany nodded. "I don't know what the organisers had to say when I vanished the next day."

"That was like me," said Deirdre. "I was Miss Ireland for nearly a whole day."

Connie said, "They took Bernice, Mary and I from a Catholic Confirmation Service, all in our sweet little white dresses."

There was a silence then. They all knew what had happened to the little girls in their sweet little white dresses.

Dinner, and the talk alternated, sometimes low voices, hurried, frightened, sometimes hilarity, the laughter overly shrill. Valencio didn't go to dinner. It was impossible for him to put up any pretence of normality. He wanted to scream, attack the fences, attack the guards, he needed to be _free!_

Tasha found him, and said that he should come to dinner. "The guards have gone, and you should hear what they're saying." He obeyed, and listened to the chatter. But so many were silent, as afraid as he was himself, perhaps.

Clarence cheered him up with a story he'd learned from Bouchra. "Ahjmed. He was too rough with a Khatabi girl when he was told to get her pregnant, and afterwards she paralysed him, and she and a medj girl, one of us, stuck his wand as hard as they could into his bottom. He was found in the morning, still paralysed, with just an inch of wand poking out."

Valencio grinned broadly. How utterly appropriate! Thank goodness Ahjmed had never had him. No-one asked what had happened to the medj prisoner.

"What happened to the Khatabi girl?"

"She had her baby and disappeared, almost certainly killed, and that baby was Najia's mother."

When the noise died down, Carol rose, and said, "We have to be very quiet and very cooperative tomorrow. We're not truly free until we're out of here. Helene has the lists of groups, and a copy on the notice board. Stay with your group, and do exactly what he says."

Helene added, "We can't afford to give him the slightest trouble. He's been working too hard. He might be getting sick, because he seems to be getting the shakes all the time. After tomorrow... It's a wild place, messy at the moment, and people swarming everywhere trying to get it ready for us. We'll have to work together, and at the beginning we'll do exactly what we're told, but we'll have our Committee still, and we'll take over fairly quickly."

"Is that what Bellamy says?"

"That's what the Committee says."

Tasha explained to her husband, who'd been missing a lot of the talk. "Each group has a group leader, who's supposed to make sure everyone's organised. Carol thinks that some might even hide."

Valencio was stunned. "Hide?"

Tasha admitted, "It's frightening. I don't think you understand how frightening it is for most of us."

Valencio said uncertainly, "I'm frightened, too..."

"Yes, but you're frightened it won't happen. I think the older ones are more frightened that it will happen."

Prudently, all the women in Enclosure 1 had appointments that evening, and even a couple in Enclosure 2 - 'Just to say goodbye.' They had to keep the wizards happy, best if they were kept soothed, at least some of them separated from the others, happy enough that they wouldn't start to plot.

Kamchatsu demanded, and Maliwan went off with him. He was a possible threat, and she made very sure to give him a good time, and then tried suggesting that he take her to his own room, and then she could sleep with him all night. But he only said curtly that he was on duty all evening, and less than half an hour later, was participating in some very resentful talk.

It all depended on John Bellamy, who looked ordinary, who wore old jeans, and trembled with fatigue. Yet he was a great and powerful wizard, who'd defeated all the powerful Khatabis, and was now working very hard to free them. Carol and Helene said that they should put their trust in him.

All the same, they'd nearly all have weapons. If there was an attempt to keep them, it would not be without a fight. From the time they became sexually active, the Khatabi males viewed access to beautiful medj slaves as their unquestioned right.

_xchapter endx_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 6:_

Somehow, it was not a surprise for Valencio when Hilde found him after dinner, at least not leaning against the fence, but mechanically lapping the pool. If things went right, it would be the last time he swam in a Khatabi swimming pool. When she whistled, he turned to her straightaway, pulling himself out and walking toward her. He was naked, but the women had seen him naked since he was twelve, and seldom took notice. This time, Hilde noticed. No other man she'd ever known had his sheer physical perfection.

Valencio stood tense in front of her, waiting. Hilde said gently, "Fudo and Abensur are in the dining room. No other guards. They're waiting to see you. Carol, too."

"Are you to be there, as well?"

"Yes, I believe so. I don't know what they want, just that I was to get you, stay, and try and keep you calm."

Valencio half grinned, "They still think I might explode any minute."

"Might you?"

"I'll try not to."

When Valencio entered the dining room of Enclosure 2, he was greeted with some relief. Abensur had been expecting him to simply refuse, and that could lead to trouble. But Valencio only stood, looking at Fudo, waiting to be told what was wanted.

Fudo said plainly, "There's a sizeable faction who want the women and girls of Enclosure 1 to stay. It's led by my second-in-command. His name is Sayyid. You probably don't know him, as he was based in Japan for years. I've been negotiating, rather than having a full scale revolt on my hands. It's not just the matter of losing Enclosure services, but Madam Zhor and Madam Najia are not as safe as I'd like. Even Bellamy, though well guarded, is not invincible. You can help."

Valencio was silent, and Fudo, after a pause, continued. "Some are just curious. The dirt-boy who killed one, took Adil's right eye, wounded Faheem and Pervez, scarred Botan. Curious that Yiko gave you his personal protection. Others remember you." He smiled slightly. "I suspect it has become more significant in their memories than probably it was at the time, but they think you were special, and want to say goodbye."

Valencio spoke at last, "Just _how_ do they want to say goodbye?"

Fudo hesitated, and finally said, "They wanted you naked and restrained. I refused, and they've settled for semi-naked, and only an ankle restrained."

Carol asked indignantly, "What would Bellamy say? Or Madam Zhor?"

"They would refuse pointblank. But they'd put everything at risk if this small concession is not granted."

Valencio looked at Carol, who was very unhappy.

Carol said, "What if he can't help himself? What if he swings at one?"

Fudo grinned, and said, "They'd probably love it. Maybe he could select one and do it quite deliberately. But no cut throats, or we're in trouble."

Valencio half laughed, "So I'm allowed to hit?"

Fudo nodded, "There would be no punishment, and those who want to approach will be told it's at their own risk."

"But I'm expected to submit to their fondling."

Fudo nodded, and Valencio shook his head. "It's ridiculous! When women are so lovely! Why on earth do they lust after a man?"

His now angry gaze went to Abensur, who said soothingly, "It's just that they lusted after the boy, and now it's a matter of habit."

"I never understood them lusting after a boy!"

He paced, briefly, and then said to Abensur, "Will it make a difference? Is it worth it?"

"Fudo hopes that this concession will reduce the talk of revolt. There are other things planned. Unless there's a last minute problem, you will be leaving tomorrow after breakfast, planned to be at the same time as everyone will start gathering for a wedding. I have discouraged anyone from coming to watch your departure."

Valencio said, suddenly appealing, "Is it real? Will we really be allowed to go?"

Fudo said, with a touch of grimness in his tone, "I have every intention of seeing the end of the practice of keeping medj prisoners. There has been too much cruelty over the years."

Valencio regarded him curiously. Fudo had cruelty in his nature. What had changed his mind? He took a deep breath, "Restrained by an ankle clip, but it's not to be locked. No intimate fondling. Without shirt only, and I will not cut anyone's throat, though I may hit someone. Not Botan, not Pervez, whom I would still try and kill."

"Botan's left, and Pervez is in an English gaol. He looks different, I hear, since one of his targets kicked him in the face."

Valencio's pleasure was discernible, and Fudo smiled. It was the effect he'd intended. He continued, "I agree that the ankle clip will not be locked, though we won't tell anyone else that. I will be here, as well as Abensur, to prevent any cruelty or taunting. A couple of guards, who'll keep their wands out, just for effect. Carol can stay as well, and if she thinks we've been unfair, she can complain to Madam Zhor."

Carol glanced at Hilde, and said, "Hilde, this time, I think."

Abensur said, in what he hoped was a calming voice, "Here, in half an hour, and we'll keep everybody else out."

Valencio said, "I'll wait here. Tasha's in Enclosure 1, with a couple of friends. I don't want her to know, or any of the others."

Carol started to leave, and he asked, "Carol?" She stopped, and he crossed to her. "Just look after a few things for me," and he handed her his knife, and as soon as that was put in a pocket, three sharp pieces of glass.

Fudo and Abensur glanced at each other. They hadn't seen anything, but the conclusion was obvious. At least it seemed he didn't plan to be armed when his temper was tested.

Valencio sat down, casually manoeuvring a chair to use as a footstool. He put hands in pockets, and raised his eyebrows at Fudo and Abensur, who still had him under their regard. He felt quite calm now, oddly. He had to work for his freedom, and if it took the form of one of the humiliation scenes the bastards delighted in, he guessed it was only to be expected. It could have been a lot worse, after all.

Abensur said, "I'll send in a couple of guards, but you just wait while we spread word."

Hilde sat down with Valencio as they left, "Will you be alright?"

"I've endured a lot worse. And I don't think either of them are lying." He shook his head, and said, as he had before, "I just cannot understand them still wanting me!"

"Nearly all those of Enclosure 1 are with clients, trying to keep them happy. I guess we all have to do our best."

"I have no weapons on me. And Fudo says it doesn't really matter if I hit." He smiled, "Being given permission to hit - maybe I can keep my temper better if I know I can if I want."

She smiled at him, as two guards came in. Hilde said, "Maybe you should be flattered. All these years with you virtually out of sight, and they still remember you."

Valencio snorted. _Flattered!_

The guards went to the exit door, closed it, and stood in front of it. They were quite young, maybe trained in Japan, as he'd never seen them before. He didn't like it. It was never good when they blocked his exit.

Hilde touched his arm, "Only what you agreed." She lowered her voice. "They're there for effect, so that you appear very dangerous, that it appears a greater concession than it really is, like the ankle clip you can undo yourself if you want."

Valencio smiled, "Of course," but his voice was strained. When was the last time they'd done something like this? When Arikiyo died, he thought. And Narzu-Han hadn't come. He felt suddenly bereft. Narzu-Han was gone now, and he'd never see him again. How could he miss him still, and yet know that seeing him again would start it all over, and that would destroy him, finally, irrevocably. What did one do when you could not live, and you were forbidden to kill yourself? Go mad, he guessed.

Abensur re-entered, businesslike. He conjured a single vertical bar, and took a strap from his pocket. "Valencio, come here now," he said, in a matter-of-fact tone.

Valencio glowered at him, hating him, and hating every other bloody wizard. But he went to the bar and submitted as a strap was fixed to the bar, and then clipped onto one of the rings on his right ankle cuff. Would there really be freedom tomorrow? Or was it just a way of disarming him? He looked at Abensur for reassurance.

Abensur said, "Take your shirt off. Each will probably want to feel, and look, but they're not allowed to touch genitals, not allowed to tease, or hurt in any way."

Valencio made no move. Abensur went to him and started unbuttoning. He said softly, "A lot of us - we have an affection for you. You were not just for sex. You became special to us."

Valencio looked away, but shrugged off his shirt. Not special enough for any of them to help him escape. Not special enough that they thought of refraining from taking new girls captive whenever they chose. Brigitta, Inge and Evita. Inge and Evita raped by Tashfin when they were just twelve, and then Evita, who fought to keep them alive by allowing Ryuichi to use her like a boy would be used. He couldn't not do this. Anything that would help them get away. Would it help them get away? Or was it just a way of exacting one final humiliation from him? There was a scowl on his face.

Abensur said, "Hilde, did he ever tell you he nearly killed me once? Knocked me out, had a blade in his hand, and then changed his mind, and only waited for me to wake up."

Hilde said, surprised, "He never told me that."

Abensur said, "I had a bet going, that I could tame him. He said I could collect now, as he was tamed." He said to Valencio, "I never collected that bet. You were never tamed, and you're not tame now. You may have been a slave, but you were never a slave in your own mind. It's why you've been the most troublesome prisoner Nusa'pei ever had to deal with, and the most troublesome I've had to deal with."

Valencio ignored his prattle. Just something he had to endure, and tonight... Could tonight really be the last night he spent as a captive?

Fudo re-entered the room, in company with another man, who smiled at the restrained prisoner with satisfaction. Fudo said, "Sayyid, just wait a moment, please. I'm going to search him. I've shown you examples of the weapons he used to use."

Crossing his fingers, Fudo went to Valencio, searched under cuffs, and then checked the pockets of shorts, even feeling down seams. Valencio stood still and looked into the distance. Fudo felt the back of Valencio's head, provoking a growl, "There's nothing there."

Fudo stepped back, and explained to Sayyid, "When he attacked Rotan, it seemed he had a blade hidden on the back of his head. And even when he was thoroughly searched, he often seemed to have a weapon anyway. Nusa'pei had him taken to his appointments naked in the end, to make it less likely he could produce a weapon."

Sayyid said, "That was before Narzu-Han took him over, I presume."

Fudo looked questioningly at Abensur, who said, "He was thirteen, and spent several months in general use. He was very much desired, but we had to take extreme precautions."

Valencio was beginning to be a touch amused. He was a tourist attraction! It wouldn't be so bad if the men were just going to stand back, and be told how dangerous he used to be.

But Sayyid approached, and he forced himself to stay still as shoulders were petted, and a measuring hand went to muscles of arms. He flinched as Sayyid touched quickly and firmly over genitals, and then bottom, and Sayyid gave a short laugh. But then he stepped back, made a comment in Japanese to Fudo, and left, just as Rafu admitted more wizards. Half a dozen young ones, about twenty, all now qualified as Fighters.

Valencio was already seething, wishing he could have hit Sayyid. He'd said no intimate fondling, but Sayyid could make problems.

Valencio glanced over at the new arrivals. He knew them all. They were ones for whom he'd stood still while they aimed spells at him, at ten or eleven, until the age of around fifteen or sixteen. They used to assess the students' performance as much as Haru, trying to guess in advance which would be Khatabi, and which not good enough. Their speculation made it easier to tolerate the humiliations of spells that made them look silly. Valencio had always found those harder to bear with equanimity than he did the control spells.

He looked coldly at one called Yoweri. He was a bad one that one, almost black, and with fierce, hot eyes. He'd been powerful, and the expectation had been that he'd be Khatabi.

Now Yoweri smiled slightly, and said, "Women are boring. I would have used the dirt-boy. Thoroughly, too. He wouldn't have sat down for a week." And carefully, ready to react, Yoweri approached and ran his hands over shoulders, even pinched a nipple.

Valencio yawned. Yoweri wanted him to try and hit. Fudo glanced at Abensur, who shrugged.

Yoweri's hands ran over buttocks, and he said, "You had to be tied down or paralysed, they say."

Valencio asked casually, "Did they have to tie you down when they did the sterilisation spell? You expected to be Khatabi, didn't you?"

Yoweri froze, and stepped back slightly, staring into the cool eyes of the slave, as dark as his own.

Valencio needled, "How does it feel to be judged not good enough to breed?"

He was ready as Yoweri struck, and dodged quickly enough that Yoweri hit his fist hard into the bar. Yoweri pressed his attack, and Valencio merely dodged behind the bar, waiting for Fudo to intervene. But Fudo had been one who'd tried to run when he'd been judged Khatabi-Richi, and had been whipped for disobedience as well as sterilised. Fudo was almost as angry as Yoweri. It was not a good strategy to hit at that sensitive spot.

Abensur said quietly, "That's enough, Yoweri."

Yoweri hesitated, and then stalked off.

Valencio glanced at Fudo, and looked away, not quite able to bring himself to apologise. The other young men were also glaring at him.

Hilde had her head down, almost crying. She could understand Valencio retaliating when taunted like that, but he should not have done it. Maybe he'd put their escape at risk.

Valencio was ashamed of himself. He'd been very stupid - yet again. No-one else did the stupid things he did, and he'd upset and disappointed Hilde.

Fudo said in a cold voice, "That was very silly. Yoweri's a bad enemy for a helpless medj prisoner."

One of the young Fighters urged, "Restrain him fully, and let us touch. Let him make up for it a bit."

Abensur conjured another bar, and said firmly, "Right wrist?"

Valencio hesitated, and then put his right wrist to Abensur, and then his left, as instructed. And now both ankles were restrained, so he couldn't kick, either.

The first of the young Fighters came forward, and his caressing quickly became more intimate. He murmured, "No-one likes Yoweri. We will not follow him."

Others crowded around. Valencio merely looked indifferent as he was fondled. One won a response, and himself became more excited. He said huskily, "I can understand your attraction now." He actually kissed, and said, "You'll be gone tomorrow. If there's fighting, I will be behind Fudo."

Valencio smiled at him, and said simply, "Good to hear." It was strange. All he had to do to win affection was to allow a natural physical reaction to occur. It was irrelevant for the moment that it shamed him so dreadfully. Anything to win freedom...

More men came in, still ones who'd never used him. Curious, fondling, many of them intimately fondling, though at least he wore shorts. He chose not to put on his armour of apparent indifference this time. He was fighting, just in a different way. Instead, he looked back at them, and when they wished him good luck, he thanked them, and once, congratulated one on their new, strong leader, that could even have the great wizard shaking with fear.

But Pitono laughed, and said, "I doubt if he was really shaking in fear!" Zhor had furiously rebuked Bellamy for killing the man who'd sent a Death Curse, and the story had spread very quickly.

Driss, Suma's consort, who'd never seen him before. Driss showed his arousal, and said something in Japanese to Abensur. Valencio shivered. Driss might have had the power to order him back into use if he'd seen him while Suma was leader. But Driss only touched his cheek and told him to behave himself. "If you attack Bellamy, you won't survive!" Valencio answered that he wasn't planning on it.

There was a brief interval, and Fudo asked laughingly, whether Valencio would be nice to him now, as well. Valencio said, "I've already been nicer to you than I want."

Hilde asked, "Is it finished now?"

Abensur shook his head, "Not by a long way, I suspect. There'll be a lot more yet."

Valencio said, "Please take off the wrist restraints. It is not as agreed."

Fudo said firmly, "You'll win more support as you are. They're to be left on."

Valencio looked at Hilde, who said gently, "Try and put up with it. I think you're helping."

Valencio sighed and went to lean against one of the bars, but prevented by the ankle restraints. He didn't like it, and he couldn't hit. And yet, except for Yoweri, he thought that none of those who'd come, would fight against their departure.

Zeeko, who came close, touched his cheek, and said, "You'll be happy now."

Valencio looked at him, troubled, and not knowing how to reply. The words and actions of all the wizards were still as to someone vastly their inferior.

Amani. Valencio was surprised, and said, "I thought you'd be dead by now."

Amani replied, "You must like me a lot now, I'm pretty old."

Others around looked confused, and Amani explained, "Bashir told me. He said he liked him better than the others because he was old, and therefore closer to death." There were chuckles. Old age and death were not a matter for fear among the Anirage . The healers kept them free of pain, and when they chose, most of them found they could simply let go, die peacefully in their sleep. If not, there was a potion, or spells. Wizards did not suffer lingering, painful deaths.

There were others who'd used Valencio, and embraced him closely, many kissing and speaking tenderly.

He remarked to Hilde, in a second brief interval, "Have they noticed I've grown up?"

Hilde shook her head. Even she, who'd known him throughout his years in Enclosure 1, hadn't quite realised how desirable he'd seemed to the wizards.

Abimael, who demanded of Fudo, "Why is he restrained?"

Fudo shrugged, and didn't intervene as Abimael unclipped his wrists, but stopped him undoing the second ankle restraint.

Shar-kutsu, who came in pleased, boastful, in front of three friends, a little younger. "It's the mad slave they all dote on," he said. "I never had him, but I saw him naked after he killed Arikiyo."

Valencio frowned, and Shar-kutsu quite hurriedly said, "He died of joy, so they say, because he was given such pleasure." He asked Abensur, "Can we approach?"

"If you like, but it's your responsibility. He can hit quite hard."

Shar-kutsu looked hesitant, and one of the others said teasingly, "The great Shar-kutsu, who's working with the great wizard, and you're frightened to go near a dirt-boy!"

"Of course I'm not frightened!" He approached warily, and embraced, too close to easily punch. Valencio thought that Shar-kutsu deserved a reward. He was such a good source of information, and he'd helped make their escape possible. He waited until Shar-kutsu stepped back after fondling, and acted very quickly, taking one step forward, and swinging a punch that brushed the cheek of Shar-kutsu.

Shar-kutsu stepped back out of reach, and said, "See? Me! I have lightning reactions. I was ready for him, and he missed."

Valencio muttered something, growling, keeping his fists balled. Fudo laughed to himself, and said warningly, "You'll have to be restrained again if you hit!"

The others with Shar-kutsu didn't go near, just commented that he had a great body no doubt, but women for them, any time.

A brief pause, and then a string of men who'd used him, Aminadi, very old now, who wanted to hug and say goodbye, good luck. Junichiro, who caressed intimately, and whom Valencio had to battle with himself not to hit. Rafik, Iraz and Hwang. It was beginning to be a restatement of his list. Another pause. Was this the way that he had to pay for his freedom? What if they'd wanted more?

He waited. Would Hicham come? He hoped not. He thought he might still react to the man and he didn't want to.

Diethard, who cautiously extended a hand and shook it, to Valencio's surprise. No-one had ever shaken his hand like that, as if he was just another man. Diethard said, "You can make a new life now. Just maybe you should give up hitting people."

Valencio replied, "Tonight has been a new record. So many I've refrained from trying to hit."

Diethard laughed and retreated, still cautious. If Valencio had been fully restrained, it would have been interesting to see if he could still get him excited. One of the young Fighters had boasted of getting a reaction.

They gave it another ten minutes, only one old man hurrying in, coming straight to the dangerous prisoner, embracing and kissing. "Always loved having you," he murmured. "Even having you paralysed, it was good. And then I'd watch you run, and know I'd been in you. It still gives me pleasure when I think of it."

Valencio sighed. Malrungee was too old to hit.

Abensur consulted his watch, and said to Fudo, "Have we given them long enough?"

Fudo nodded, "Release him."

One more at the door, and Valencio turned to look. A middle-aged man he didn't know, with a kitchen trolley, laden with a supper. "Nara said to send him date scones. He always likes date scones. But then we thought we'd best supply enough for all of them."

Valencio smiled, honestly delighted. He'd never heard of Nara, knew none of the women. Yet she knew he liked date scones.

The wizard said, "My name's Keresta," and as he set out the plates on the table, followed by jugs of soft drink, it became clear it was not just date scones they'd been supplied with.

Valencio said, "Keresta?"

Keresta looked up.

"It's not poison or something, is it?"

Keresta was taken aback. Why should he think it might be poison? He said firmly, "It's not poison. There's not even anything to calm nerves, though I've heard it suggested. But maybe the guards should try some first. It would be a shame if no-one touched it."

Abensur strolled over and helped himself to a sweet slice. "Not bad," he commented.

His example was followed by the two guards who'd been guarding the door, after a prompt from Abensur. Keresta helped himself, but Fudo was cautious, and chose not to.

Valencio put on his shirt, and said, "Hilde, what do you think?"

Fudo said, "Leave it if you're worried. I'll go see Nara and be back in a few minutes."

Hilde smiled at Valencio, "No-one will be so curious as to what we've been doing if there's this to show."

Ten minutes later, Fudo returned and said ruefully, "Nara's my wife, and she nearly hit me when I asked if there was any chance the food might have been meddled with." He poured himself a drink and took a scone. "Do you want us to stay around so you can see if we go to sleep, or maybe die?"

Valencio took a date scone and started to eat. Casually, he said, "I've seen enough of bloody wizards for one day. You can leave."

Fudo grinned, "Aside from Yoweri, you've been very well behaved. I think tomorrow will go without a hitch."

Valencio looked at him, and his voice had a sudden quaver, "You think it might be alright?"

Fudo said, "Try and have some trust. Personally, I'll be pleased to see the back of you. And Bellamy can do it, even if we dared not risk it. I'll be there until the last group is gone."

Valencio shook his head, "I might be able to believe it then."

Abensur glanced at his watch, "I hope Brigitta's still waiting." The feast was left for the medj.

An hour later, Valencio was running around and around the enclosure, unable to settle.

Tasha was in Enclosure 1, wanting to talk to those who'd been with clients. Would it really be alright?

Brigitta was with Abensur, who asked her again if she would stay. There were tears on the face of Brigitta, and she said, "If things were different, if our histories were different..."

Abensur pulled her closer. If he'd been ordered, he might have killed this girl, and Brigitta in the beginning, he knew, had only played up to him because he could kill them, on no other authority than his own. But everything was changed now...

Emma lay on her bed in her room. Tomorrow she'd be free, but she'd lost half of herself, lost her twin sister, dead the very first night. She must be buried somewhere close, though she'd never asked, and none of the wizards had ever even referred to the fact that there had been two six-year-old children that night, not just one. Emma finally slept, and dreamed restlessly of Laura, who was to be left behind.

Lucy and Eva had been in New York, Japan, and were still favourites, though only of Khatabi-Richi. They didn't consider staying with them. Eva said sadly, "I sort of like Zhang, but he was overseer in New York, and I think he probably killed all the others."

Lucy said, "We survived, and we're going to be free!"

Eva was alarmed. "Don't say it yet, it's bad luck!"

Not many of the medj slept that night, though little Brigitta did, in the close embrace of Abensur.

_xchapter endx_


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 7:_

Valencio was in the last group, packing finally, but only after Tasha said, shrilly, "For God's sake! It's _not_ bad luck to pack!"

He tossed a few sets of numbered shorts and shirts in the small suitcase, a couple of drawings that Emma had given him, his shaver, and his gold pen. His gold paper-knife was in his pocket, and there were other weapons. He wasn't expecting to need them. It seemed there was no dispute, and things were calm.

His trousers were inches too short, and the sleeves of his jumper, as well. Those in the laundry knew the sizes of each medj prisoner, though the women only by number. But they didn't know how tall Valencio was, and there had been a lot of swapping around of shoes. Valencio's had been a fair guess, only a little too small. So uncomfortable. Eighteen years! He'd been a prisoner for eighteen years, and in all that time he hadn't worn shoes or long trousers.

He was trembling again, pale, very tense. But he was not the only one. Emma waited outside their door, and squeaked, "Hurry, quick. They're already taking the first group."

Carol said to him, "Is there any reason, do you think, to expect fighting?"

Valencio looked at the guards who waited, one to go with each group of twelve, it seemed. Kofi-Zee and Rafu stood close to his group, who were gathered together, fearful rather than hopeful. Emma held tight to Valencio's hand, and Tasha held an arm.

Valencio looked at Carol, "I don't know. I can't tell."

Carol hesitated a moment, then went, list in hand, and quickly checked the names of those in the second group, who were escorted out by Zhang. There was no reason to delay, and she went on to the third group, checking names, and nodding to the guard.

Kofi-Zee said, "Valencio, come here."

Valencio stood still, and Kofi-Zee went to him, instead. A touch of the wand, and ankle straps and wrist straps fell away.

Tasha's voice, coming from a distance, it seemed. "Valencio, you are _not_ to faint. Behave yourself!"

Kofi-Zee said calmly, "I guess we should have done it sooner."

Valencio shook his head, and Emma said gently, "Come on, Valencio. You are so strong, really. I need you."

Thierry, from just behind, whispered, "And I need you, too. I'm scared."

Time to go, and they came to the App. Box where the fourth group was being loaded. There was a small audience. Fudo and Abensur were vigilant, and extra guards scattered around. Those who'd had 'favourites' as well. Hicham was there, looking forlorn, although Abensur was too busy, and hadn't had time yet to realise his loss. Ryuichi, who looked at Evita, and then looked back at the real thing, Valencio, a full grown man, but still beautiful, and looking very strained. Ryuichi would have had them all killed, not quite thinking of them as people, just as expensive and useless mouths to feed. Even Valencio had never been real, just a fantasy of something he'd never had, and now never would.

There was a sudden disturbance, and Carol was there instantly, trying to reassure Sheila that the App. Box was not there only to kill them.

Valencio scarcely noticed, just standing stock still, held firmly by Tasha, and shaking still, slightly. Sheri brought back the news, that Bellamy had returned Clarence and Bernice in order to show they were not dead, and now Sheila was alright.

Tasha said, to herself as much as to her husband, "Soon now. Freedom very soon."

Kofi-Zee and Rafu watched Valencio closely. The last time Rafu had seen him this tense, was just before he'd found himself and Thuli on the ground. There were instructions. If any of the prisoners gave trouble, they were to be stunned without delay, and put in the App. Box to be conveyed to Loch Lomand. There must be no disturbance, that could still provoke fighting. Kamchatsu, and a couple of others were close and muttering resentfully. Hopefully, they wouldn't make trouble now, as most of the ones in Enclosure 1 had been evacuated in the first groups.

There was no hesitation when it came to their group - the last. Valencio didn't look back, though many of the women did. He just stepped up into the box and looked warily at Bellamy.

Bellamy looked around as soon as they were all assembled and the door closed, and said quietly, "Know that you cannot say anything about magic or Wizardkind to any medj, aside from each other, without my specific permission. Remember your cover story, and regard Loch Lomand as your home until such time as you're confident that you can make a new home for yourself."

Valencio jumped and quivered, feeling the mind touch, knowing that his mind had been interfered with, again.

But then Bellamy just said, "Your luggage will arrive in the luggage room of the castle in just a few minutes. Dot and Michael and the others will look after you."

He opened the door of the App. Box, and there was a grey day in Scotland, misty rain, mountains half obscured by fog, trees stretching into the distance.

Valencio stumbled as he stepped down, and Tasha said, "Careful, love! You nearly pulled me down as well."

John Bellamy, known by Anirage around the world as the great wizard, was smiling slightly, as he saw the last of the medj walk slowly away from the App. Box. So far, not a one had looked back or thanked him, but he'd seen the earlier ones. There were tears, and several still lay or sat close, the ones who'd fainted, several more who'd come close. Thirty or forty years, some of them! On that first trip with Carol, she'd told him she'd been there since she was eight. How could anyone hurt a child like that?

Bellamy shook his head. But Zhor and Najia needed him, and not to act the vengeful god, tearing the Khatabis apart because of what they'd done to little girls. To that angry young man, too, who, he presumed, must once have been an innocent boy.

Bellamy left the App. Box for the use of Zhor and Najia who'd gone over in the first group, returned to Morocco, and set to work sending on luggage, and even that apparently simple piece of magic was something no-one else could have done.

Valencio had to try and be stronger then, as Emma cried in his arms, and Thierry needed him as well. Tasha smiled, thinking it was a good thing she didn't mind sharing him. Dot Halloran, one of Bellamy's employees, and currently manager of Loch Lomand, waited patiently, now accustomed to the initial emotion of freed prisoners. She finally started talking, introducing himself, introducing Michael Bruce, her husband, a big man, wearing his hair long, the same as the Khatabis did. He looked fit, and carried the same auror of power as a Khatabi Fighter, even though he was in perfectly ordinary casual medj clothing. Dot radiated a calm intelligence.

She explained that there was to be lunch soon, and she'd tell them more about the surrounding area. This was to be their home, she said, as long as they wanted. If they went away, they could return, all their lives. Their home.

Valencio's eyes roamed, mist and mountains and forests, and a drive, and an open gate onto a road. Lunch? He couldn't eat now! He said to Tasha, pointing, "Come for a walk?"

Tasha looked around and pointed to a different track, quite steep, winding up the mountain. She looked understandingly at her husband, "You go, if you want. But come back and don't get lost."

Valencio nodded hurriedly and started striding away, down the long drive toward the open gate.

Tasha called after him, "It's called Loch Lomand. Don't get lost!"

There were still workers everywhere, swarming like bees, trying to get the place ready for eighty-one medj to move into, today.

Valencio walked, needing to walk, needing to prove to himself he was free. Just a shirt that still had a number on, jumper, and too-short trousers. Unfamiliar shoes that wore blisters he wasn't conscious of.

It took two hours, and he sat down on the side of the road and leaned against a low stone wall. There were no surges of pain. There were no wizards with wands, and no-one was thinking of punishing him for disobedience. Had they been told to stay within the bounds? He wasn't sure, but he'd known as he passed through the open gateway that it was no longer 'home.' He wondered if that was crio-magic, just so they'd know. But they must be free. He'd only hesitated an instant, and he'd left the home being prepared for them, left Tasha, his wife, who must be worried.

He was so stupid, and he wasn't at all sure he could find his way back. Had he been good at finding his way once? He couldn't remember. Eighteen years, and he'd never been outside the enclosure area without an escort of at least two guards, and so rare, even then. So selfish. Tasha had been there since she was thirteen, which meant she'd been a prisoner for twenty-six years. And he'd just hurried off and left her.

After a while, he got to his feet and started limping back in the direction he'd come. By the direction of the sun, seen weakly through cloud, he worked out that he'd been heading south, so he had to go north. Loch Lomand. Trees and mountains, and misty rain. An old castle. He didn't even know the name of the nearest town. He stopped and took off his shoes, but left on the blood soaked socks for warmth. How long since he'd been cold? He shook his head at himself again. So stupid! None of the women were as stupid as he was! Clarence had sense!

A battered truck passed by, smelling of sheep, then braked and reversed. "Want a lift?"

Valencio looked surprised at the man. Such pink and white skin. Even Belinda had some tan in Morocco.

The man repeated, slightly impatiently, "Do you want a lift?"

Valencio said, "Yes, yes, please, I do."

"Hop in then," said the farmer.

Valencio hesitated, and said, "I'm all wet, and my feet have blood on them. I guess I'd best walk."

"Get in. It's only the farm truck."

Valencio smiled suddenly, and admitted, "I am a bit tired."

As soon as he was seated and looking around in discernible pleasure, he was asked, "Where are you heading?"

Valencio paused, and then said, "The way we're going."

The farmer looked at him assessingly. A young man, trousers too short, clothes soaked with rain, shoes in his hand. He said, "You're not one of the refugees are you? Moved in to the old McGuiver castle."

Valencio hesitated. Refugees? He said uncertainly, "They called it Loch Lomand."

"Loch Lomand, the old McGuiver place. I live close by. My name's Joe Corbett."

Joe Corbett held out a hand to Valencio, who smiled again, a little dazed, and shook it. He'd known that medj wouldn't automatically want to rape him, just because wizards always did.

Joe said patiently, "You call me Joe. What's your name?"

"Valencio."

"Valencio what?"

There was a long pause. He couldn't be Valencio Durano. That was someone a long time ago. And besides, someone might know the name. Were those films still been shown now and then? The second one had been good, though it had been only a small part in the first, and the third had been some weird esoteric thing he never had understood. He hadn't even seen the final version.

He finally said, "Just Valencio. I don't have any other name."

Joe nodded, and decided, "I think I'd best take you to my home to begin with. The wife can have a look at your feet, and we'll phone Loch Lomand to say you're on your way back."

Valencio was surprised again, and finally said hesitantly, "You're very kind."

"It's just rumours, that there's to be a group of refugees living there, but no-one's said what from."

After a pause, Valencio said, "There are eighty-one of us."

"Men?"

"Most women."

Joe stopped asking questions, and started talking about the area - the nearest town, his farm, his two daughters, now grown up.

The gentle soothing talk continued at Joe's home, Joe now feeling fatherly. The young man really was a little pathetic. Anne Corbett made a fuss of him, and insisted on bathing his feet in warm water, exclaiming over the severe blistering, and looking significantly at her husband when she saw the pale skin around his ankles where the cuffs had been. Manacles? Around his wrists as well, half hidden by his wet jumper, that clung to him. And he looked too thin. Joe bullied him into dry clothes, saying he'd collect them in a day or two.

Valencio suddenly laughed, "I've never washed clothes. I daresay it's easy enough."

Anne said, "How about some scones and maybe some hot chocolate to warm you up?"

She didn't wait for an answer, just bustled about, organising it, as Valencio watched her in pleasure. She was short, round, and gave a feeling of warmth, like a warm home. She pleased him. She was like a mother should be.

Anne Corbett gave him an assessing look, and didn't ask questions, but told him about her first daughter, who was at university in Edinburgh, and her second, who had the most lovely baby imaginable, their first grandchild. Valencio was at rest, in the calm and the warm. He yawned, and Joe checked his watch, and asked if they'd be worrying.

Valencio admitted, "They might be."

"Do you want to phone?"

Valencio shook his head, and said he'd walk home, if Joe would just tell him the way.

Joe stood up decisively, "We're going in the truck."

Valencio was accustomed to doing what he was told, and didn't argue. Joe pulled up at the gate of Loch Lomand, not driving in, as he normally would. He didn't question his automatic action, but there was crio-magic that influenced him. There was too much magic on display for the moment to allow casual medj visitors.

Tasha looked up with enormous relief when she saw her husband hurrying up the long drive. She'd been afraid he would not find his way back. She understood him. For the rest of them, the large property had been enough, but Valencio had needed to prove to himself that no-one would try and stop him.

He was truly free. He wore different socks, and declined shoes when Tasha said there was a supply of clothing available to them when needed. She pointed out a small cottage that she said was for them, and laughed and hugged him. He said, "We're going to have to learn some new skills, I think. Already I have to have the clothes I'm wearing washed and returned, though not the socks. He said I could keep the socks."

Tasha said, "It's cold and it's wet, and it's altogether wonderful, and there's a lot of work to be done, organising bedding for everyone. You'll have to come and help now you're back."

"Ourselves?"

"Organised. But most are in dormitories, and some are in bedrooms inside the castle, except that they're still being worked on. Dot said it was a ruin only a week ago."

"Dot?"

"Dot and Michael are in charge for the moment, but they say we can take over as soon as we're ready."

"Not medj."

"No." Tasha smiled at him, "I'm afraid they're bloody wizards, but they're good bloody wizards, and they're doing their best for us." She added, "They've got a little boy called Robin, and there are two other children here as well, but they won't be staying."

Valencio glanced at her. They were only just free. Surely she wasn't about to start fretting because she couldn't have her own children, not yet.

For the next two hours, Valencio helped make up beds, helped move furniture, though he avoided working too closely with the wizards. He didn't mind Ania, and none of them were wearing wizard robes. That helped. Some of the bedding, some of the mattresses, even some of the furniture had a big 'C' on them. Adelbert told him, "It means it's conjured, but conjured things vanish suddenly, and anything conjured has to be replaced as soon as possible."

There was a lot of laughter, cooperation, and a pure joy that permeated the area. Freedom. No restraints, no numbers, no guards.

Some had been too badly damaged. Mostly, the older ones huddled in groups, and seemed not to take in that there was work to be done.

Tasha said, "The Group Leaders have been told to continue looking after their groups. I don't think anyone expected so many to be so lost."

"You?"

Tasha shook her head, "It's hard to believe, but running around and making up beds on the floor... It helps."

"Who was our Group Leader?"

"Sheri. Hilde and I were just to look after you, and Carol was to look after everyone."

Valencio shook his head, ruefully. Two just to look after him. He said, "I'm fine now."

Tasha went to him, "Hold me?"

He held her and gently kissed. Tasha clung to him.

He said, in a tone of wonder, "We're really free. In a normal world, where farmers' daughters go to university and have babies. Where there are cars and trucks, and cattle and sheep. Some dogs barked at me when I was walking, and it rained..."

"You should have seen the girls. There's a slope outside, and they played rolling down the hill. There's a muddy puddle at the bottom, and they were black with mud."

The bell rang for dinner, and Tasha showed Valencio the large dining room, four long tables. It was dark outside, and most of the helpers had gone. The meal was atrocious, unappealing, badly served. There was not a single complaint. Cafeteria style, and if they wanted to take knives out of the dining room, there was nothing at all to stop them. Valencio ate hungrily, to Tasha's satisfaction. It was time he actually ate something again.

Word spread. There was to be a party in the ballroom that evening.

The Anirage had their own celebration, separately, in the dining room. Just a few days, and they had achieved a very great deal. There was no interference with the freed prisoners, and they had been amply supplied with food and drink, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The party was riotous, a very much needed release of tension, but hardly any stayed sober, and many became very drunk indeed. Few had any experience in social drinking, none older than eighteen when taken.

Prudently, Michael was stationed outside to make sure that none of the medj became lost on the way to bed. It was cold, and he donned a warm cape.

Valencio emerged from the castle, looked around blearily, and started staggering in altogether the wrong direction. Michael went to him, took his arm, and spoke to him, laughing. "Turn around, Valencio. Your place is over there."

Valencio stopped and shook his head. Had someone drugged him? A Twilight Spell? Was he maybe not free after all? A knowledge seeped into him. Michael was a wizard, and he was trying to make him go in a direction he didn't want to go. Taking Michael by surprise, he lashed out, and Michael stumbled away, swearing, a hand over his eye.

Connie hurried over and grabbed Valencio by his arm, where he stood swaying and looking threateningly still at Michael. Thierry grabbed his other arm, and pulled him away, apologising profusely to Michael. He'd attacked a wizard. The penalty was the Spell of Pain. They hurried Valencio away, and Michael got to his feet, and decided never to touch Valencio again.

Connie and Thierry were bossy, Valencio never dreaming of arguing with the women. He lay down where he was told, found Tasha already asleep in bed, and asked, "Connie, are we free now?"

Connie said sternly, "Yes, but you're not allowed to hit anyone."

Valencio said innocently, "Of course not," stroked Tasha, and closed his eyes, instantly asleep.

_xchapter endx_


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 8:_

It was well past dawn by the time Valencio woke. There was sunshine, but a weak, watery sunshine, not the merciless blast of Morocco that he'd become accustomed to. Still, it was sunshine. He pulled on numbered shorts and shirt, didn't give a thought to shoes and socks, and stepped out of the partially furnished cottage. Tasha still slept soundly. She, too, had had far too much to drink the previous night.

Again there was a swarm of Anirage , most of them working on new units that were being noisily trucked in. There were occasional reminders to each other that 'the medj' were still sleeping, but it was obvious that the work could not be silent. Valencio leaned against a wall for a moment, watching, and decided that he needed something to eat before seeing what he could do to help, or climbing the mountain that beckoned, or walking the ten miles to Bogridge, that he now knew to be the nearest town.

In the dining room, he was amiably greeted the moment he appeared, one of the same caterers from the previous night, a woman in perfectly ordinary clothing. There was no-one else there. He looked at the servery, and she said, "You just take a plate or bowl and help yourself."

Valencio thanked her. What a wonderful, glorious day! He was free! Toast! He hadn't eaten ordinary toast for so long.

He looked doubtfully at a lumpy grey substance, and the woman said, "Porridge."

Valencio wanted to ask if it was edible, but instead tried to be more polite, and only asked how it was taken.

"With hot milk and sugar, mostly," said the woman, and she doled out a bowl of porridge.

She asked kindly, "Would you like me to take the numbers off your clothes?"

Valencio flushed, and said, "Yes, please."

He'd forgotten the numbers, and in any case, his warm clothes, both his own and the borrowed ones, were wet and muddy. A wave of the wand, and the numbers were gone. He beamed at the woman, who said, "My name's Sarah. I'm one of the catering team, but we're only temporary, and we're to be replaced by a medj catering team as soon as we no longer need to use magic."

He asked, "Do you know if there's someplace to wash clothes?"

"I'm not sure if it's ready yet, but there's a drying room, just near the side entrance, and with a big sign. There's also a lot of new clothing just waiting to be claimed. Shoes, too," and she looked disapprovingly at his bare feet, noticing dressings on the heels. "Joyce said she'd organise a First Aid room, as well."

"Good. I'll be able to fix my feet."

Three giggling girls made their appearance next, and Sarah saw that they, too, wore numbered shorts and shirts, no shoes, but at least there were not the signs of recent wrist cuffs or manacles. Again she promoted the porridge, but this time, it was rejected in favour of toast, in spite of Valencio saying it tasted a lot better than it looked.

Evita asked Valencio, "Have you seen Michael yet?"

Valencio said that he hadn't. Inge giggled, "He's got a terrible black eye." The girls were all giggling now, but it was the first real day of freedom, and maybe they deserved to be a little mad. He felt a little light-headed himself.

He asked, "Where are you sleeping?"

The girls glanced at each other, and Brigitta said, "We've got bedrooms in the castle, and Hilde's next to us, I guess to look after us."

Evita said toughly, "We're not children. We can look after ourselves!"

Valencio observed, "I'm jealous. I thought Hilde only looked after me these days."

"You and Tasha have one of the cottages, don't you?"

The conversation turned to accommodation, and tracks up a mountain, and where one could wash clothes.

Ingrid and Treen came in and joined Valencio, who lingered over his coffee. Ingrid asked Valencio, "Have you seen Michael yet?"

This time, Valencio put down his coffee and regarded them suspiciously, before staring at the ceiling and suddenly exclaiming, "_Shit!_ I hit him, didn't I?"

The five young ones were all laughing as he strode out the door.

Valencio hesitated, as he approached the area where the wizards were working so hard. Would he be punished? They were supposed to be free, of course. And _why_ had he punched Michael? He'd really rather keep right away from the wizards.

Connie joined him, "You'll have to apologise."

Valencio asked, "Did you see it, Connie? Did I have a reason for hitting him?"

"He tried to point you the right way to your cottage. But you apparently didn't want to be helped."

Valencio sighed. "Totally in the wrong then. I'll go apologise."

He took a deep breath, walked rapidly towards Michael, but stopped dead as Michael went for his wand. Stiffly, Valencio said, "I came to apologise. I should not have hit you."

Michael did indeed, have a black eye. Michael quickly re-pocketed his wand, and said, "Perfectly understandable that you might be a bit jumpy. Next time you drink too much, I'll know to keep away."

Valencio half-smiled, ruefully, "I've never been drunk before. I thought some bloody wizard had put a Twilight Spell on me or something."

Michael said calmly, "If you want to help, the ballroom's still in a mess. You could start cleaning that up, while we work on the units."

Valencio nodded. The ballroom. And the wizards far too busy to wave a wand, and have it instantly clean. He smiled suddenly, brilliantly, to the surprise of Michael. They'd have to get used to this, doing without magic. Washing their own clothes, doing their own housework. No bloody wizards. No bloody magic. He could get used to that, alright!

He turned back to the castle, but was grabbed by another of the helpers, this one called Therese, middle-aged, and with a scar deeply etched across her face. "The boss is sending furniture by the truckload, and we need to get it distributed. Will you help?"

Valencio hesitated, "I was sent to clean the ballroom."

"That's done. I need you now."

For the rest of the morning, Valencio and nearly all the other medj worked to distribute furniture that arrived, the same furniture they'd used in the enclosures. There were also sheets, mattresses, pillows, more clothing, though all prominently numbered, cutlery, crockery, Belinda's piano, though Therese said she'd move that with magic, even Valencio's games machine.

Halfway through, another of the Ania found Valencio, told him to show her his feet, and dabbed some lotion on, then took him to another room, handed him a pair of jeans, and told him to try them on. Valencio, completely naturally, dropped his shorts and pulled on the jeans.

Joyce laughed, "Maybe I should mention that men are not actually supposed to undress in front of women."

Valencio said simply, "I forgot."

"I didn't realise. Do any of you have underpants?"

"They say it's a ridiculous medj convention to wear clothes under clothes."

"Well, it's up to you, but you might find jeans, for instance, uncomfortable without underpants."

"I borrowed some clothes yesterday from a neighbour. There's nowhere to wash them yet. Would you mind cleaning them for me with magic, and then I can take them back?"

Joyce nodded, "I'll fix you up with more socks, and some running shoes that won't make blisters, but Dot says you're all to have two hours off straight after lunch. You can take back the borrowed clothes then."

Valencio smiled at her, "Thank you." Joyce was alright. He liked Joyce.

Tasha was still not interested in going off the property, though he assured her it was only about a mile to Joe's place. So he kissed her, and strode off, again feeling that slight hesitancy as he crossed the border. He guessed it was for their own protection, though no others had shown any inclination to go wandering and get lost.

Joe welcomed Valencio, but had his name slightly wrong, and addressed him as 'Vince,' instead. Valencio hesitated, but then laughed, and decided he'd be Vince from now on. It was a strong name, that sounded so much more masculine than Valencio. No-one would think of bending a 'Vince' over a Brieke-tei.

They found him in a different mood that day, instead of smiling around, half dazed, now he laughed at nothing, said the weather was wonderful, though it was cold, and now overcast again, and that he couldn't imagine a more wonderful place to be than this particular area of Scotland.

Anne asked hesitantly whether he'd said his name was Valencio yesterday. He beamed at her, and said he was Vince now, which was a much better name.

Joe asked, "They said you were refugees. Were you prisoners?"

Valencio asked Joe how many sheep he had. Joe and Anne took the hint, and asked no more questions.

After an hour, Valencio rose to leave, saying he had to get back. Joe, still curious about this unusual young man, asked if he'd like to be shown over the farm. Valencio glanced at the clock, and said that he'd love to. He might have to run back, and he laughed again. Now, if he ran, it could be to go somewhere, not just around and around the inside of unclimbable fences.

"We'll go in the truck," announced Joe, "And I'll take you back in the truck, as well. Your feet must be still sore."

Valencio said, "I can run. They gave me better shoes, and a bit bigger, much more comfortable."

Joe's passion was his Merino stud, and he finished his tour by showing Valencio a group of his stud rams. Valencio peered and laughed. Joe looked at him quizzically, but Valencio didn't explain. He'd remembered Kaede and Clarence trying to explain castration to him, in terms of stallions and geldings, and rams and wethers. He was glad that he'd never been turned into a wether, but he was also glad he hadn't developed like a ram!

He insisted he'd run home that day, and Joe allowed him his way, telling him to come again. Joe and Anne looked at each other afterwards, and Anne said, "He kept looking at me and smiling, as if he'd never seen a woman before."

"He said some of them were women, so I don't know why."

Joe smiled at his wife, and said, "Maybe you reminded him of someone, or maybe it's just that you're beautiful."

Anne snorted, and said, "Anyway, he told us he was married to a woman called Tasha."

"I might go to the pub this evening, see if anyone else knows anything."

"I heard a rumour that they were escapees from a harem, but they would have been all women if that was true."

Joe frowned, and then shook his head. Surely not, but there was no denying that Vince was a very good-looking young man.

Tasha, meanwhile, fussed over their own small home, hanging pictures, and remaking beds with sheets and blankets that didn't show a large 'C' in the middle. The conjured ones were dumped higgledy piggledy in an unused room, where they were expected to vanish of their own accord, unless somebody vanished them. They'd been told that a conjured blanket would seldom even last the night, but Najia and Zhor Khatabi had conjured those blankets, and they were not yet vanishing.

_*hpdividerhp*_

There was a brief, informal meeting of the Anirage that evening, before they dispersed, discussing what was yet to be done, deciding on priorities.

"It's an immense satisfaction," Dot said. "They're so happy, and I know they'd like more time to explore, but they're not begrudging, and are working very hard."

Barry asked, "Are they polite?"

"Of course, very polite, very grateful."

Barry said, "Well, I can't say they haven't been polite to me - they just don't come near me at all."

Another of the wizards said, "Nor me, now I come to think of it. We've been so busy, of course."

Joyce said calmly, "Remember what they've been used for. It's natural that they avoid wizards."

Michael put up his hand to his eye, though no bruising remained, and said, "As long as none of them attack."

Dot said carefully, "Valencio. Carol told me a very little. Just that he's suffered very severe punishment at times, and can be apt to lash out. She says he'll be fine with us, but that wizards should be careful of him."

Barry said, "So how exactly did she mean by careful of him?"

"She didn't really say, only that no constraints should be put on him. She mentioned that up until yesterday morning, he still wore wrist and ankle cuffs, though he hadn't actually given them any trouble for years."

Joyce asked, "Michael, were you wearing your cape when he hit you?"

"Yes, and he was drunk besides. He apologised first thing this morning."

"I wonder just what they did to him when he punched a Khatabi wizard."

"He stopped dead when I drew my wand, like maybe he expected to be punished."

Dot said, "We'll have him working just with women in that case, and make sure that at least one of the older medj are with him."

The talk went on to a mention of the girls, just fifteen. That they should not be treated like children, even so.

"They don't come near us, either," said Barry.

Joyce said, "You're wizards, I guess, and wizards have abused them. Try to look ordinary if you can, non-threatening. And _don't _wear wizard robes or capes!"

Michael said, "Maybe I should have an ordinary haircut, like the boss does."

Joyce replied, "Good idea, if you're willing. It's what marks you as a wizard."

The other wizards glanced at each other, and Barry said, "The spell to make hair grow fast always misfires, I hear."

Tristan said, "I've only just managed to grow mine to a proper length. I think Bahiti would object if I cut it."

"The boss doesn't seem to mind looking like a medj."

"Maybe if I were the great wizard, I wouldn't mind either. Anyway, we're not staying permanently."

These men and women were Anirage as much as the Khatabis of Morocco. The men wore their hair long unless there was a particular reason not to, and their normal wear included a cape, and often, full robes. Aniragi culture went back millennia, and while European Anirage might consider themselves civilised in comparison to those of Arabia, yet their culture was less peaceful that that of Medjkind. Duelling for instance, was illegal in most European countries, but wizards were still crippled in duels, occasionally killed. On the other hand, large-scale wars were unknown.

There were no obvious differences in physiology between Medjkind and Anirage , but there were some differences, especially within the brain. Yet they were not truly different species. There had been a lot of interbreeding in the past, though it had become rare in the past few hundred years. Anirage were a very small minority within the larger culture, and took enormous care that their existence was viewed as myth.

_xdividerx_

The days went by, and every day, the women and two men worked cheerfully under the direction of Carol and Helene, in full cooperation with the Anirage, who still swarmed.

Valencio was hilariously cheerful, except that quite suddenly he'd become restless and announce that he was going out for a while. Every day, he went out, needing to know that he could. It didn't particularly matter where, and usually only for an hour or two, as there was still so much work to do. Running, often. It was a joy to run and to get somewhere. He didn't understand that no-one else was willing to cross the boundary. There was that crio, he thought, but it wasn't binding. He hadn't yet explored their own property. Within bounds, even the bounds of three thousand acres of mountain and forest, was not what he needed now.

Several times, they were urged to go and see Joyce, who was a 'representative' from the DMT. It was said that they might find it a benefit to talk to her about their experiences. But Valencio was not the only one who had a strong suspicion she was a healer, and no-one went near her. If they needed minor cuts and bruises treated, there were lotions kept in the First Aid Room.

No-one wanted to talk about their experiences as prisoners. It quickly became almost a taboo subject, to the extent that when Mariabella wondered how Hicham was getting on without her, Gloria said, only pretending to be joking, that she never wanted anyone to mention the name of any bloody Khatabi ever again! On the other hand, the subjects of their lives before the Khatabis was no longer as much avoided. Some, like Gloria and Valencio, were silent on the subject, but Ingrid, now twenty, spoke longingly of her sisters, and then, slowly, "Do you think Mum and Dad would still want me?"

She didn't get an answer. Many of them wondered if half forgotten families might still want to know them. Valencio was sure. He would never contact those who'd once known him. How could he, after what he'd done?

_hpxdividerxhp_

Dot took a list of names, discovering that Valencio was now 'Vince McDonald.' She raised her eyebrows at him. McDonald? Anyone who looked less like a McDonald was hard to imagine. She made no comment, and asked if there was family he might like to contact, because they could trace them, discreetly, if needed.

Valencio's reaction was typical of those she'd spoken to. He stared into the past, and there was a long pause. Dot waited patiently.

Finally, he said, "I just want to know if she's still alive. Her name is Caprice Sylvio, but she was sometimes known as Silver, or Sylviano, or even Domenico."

Dot wrote down each of the names, and Valencio gave his old address in Italy, and also the one in Hollywood.

"Dean Blockman," he suddenly said. "She's probably not married to him any more, but I want to know whether he's alive."

Dot said calmly, "You want us to be discreet, not tell them you're alive."

Valencio replied firmly, "Best if they think I'm long dead."

Dot made a note, and said, "After a while, you should think about it again. Family are important."

Valencio shook his head decisively, and stood, hesitating. Finally, he said, "We're very grateful, you know. To all of you. Even when it doesn't seem like that."

Dot smiled, "I've been thanked roughly seventeen times a day, every day." She was serious suddenly, and continued, "There's no need to be grateful. It's something you're owed. Too much was taken from you, and although British Anirage have never had anything to do with the Anirage of Arabia or even Asia, I think if we'd known, we should have tried to do something."

Valencio looked at her, and knew exactly what she was thinking. The Khatabis would have been far too much to fight. They would not have done a thing! Not for a few score of medj.

He asked Tasha that evening, whether she thought of contacting family. Tasha said slowly, "My full name is Natasha Maskkov. I'm from the Ukraine, and I have three brothers. I want to know about my family, but to contact them? I've been a sex slave!"

Valencio said, "They'd still be happy to know you're alive."

Tasha shook her head, and said, "I don't know if they would. I think I'm like you. I can never go back."

_hpxdividerxhp_

On the sixth day, Tasha said to Carol, laughing, "He's pacing again."

Carol grinned, and called to Valencio who was now standing stock still and staring into the distance. She said firmly, "Valencio, don't go yet. I have some money for you. Better if you don't return half-starved." She handed him a card as well. "The phone number's here. If you get in trouble, make a phone call, and Dot says you can be collected. The money's in case you need a meal."

She smiled at him, and nodded, "You can go now."

Valencio kissed her and thanked her, although hurriedly, and strode off. Tasha joined her, and said, "It's like he has to prove to himself, every single day, that he's really free."

Carol said, "I guess we all should do it - go off the property."

"It's only a little fence, even fallen down in parts, but I feel panicky at the thought of crossing it."

"Are we cowards?"

"I don't know."

Valencio accepted a lift that day, and wound up in London, wandering around for hours. He must be really free. He was in London, and if he didn't ring home, they'd never know where he was. He didn't ring home, only checking the money he had. It was enough for a few meals, and he could work, and he could steal. He was very good at stealing, he thought. But these were not wizards, and of course, it was wrong to steal from real people.

No-one molested him, or threatened him in any way. An old man in rags even offered to share his bus shelter for the night, when he admitted he had very little money, and no place to stay. Valencio smiled at the man who was as free as anyone, and said he had enough money to buy them both a hamburger or something, he thought.

Tasha waited outside a long time as it grew dark, watching the drive, wanting to see her husband come back to her. Hilde joined her and sat close, sharing the vigil. Then Emma, who said, "He just needs to do it, maybe. He'll come back. He loves you, and I think he loves quite a lot of us, though not as wives, of course."

Tasha looked at the young woman. Aside from herself, Emma knew Valencio better than any of them. "Will he come back?"

Emma said, with certainty, "He will come back."

Valencio was wide awake as dawn came, not very uncomfortable, but wishing very much he could shower and put on fresh clothing. Instead, he slid the remains of his money under the bag that belonged to the homeless man, and started walking north again. He was free, and if he wanted to return to where his wife waited, there was not a thing to stop him. He started to whistle, deciding he had to practise. Free men were happy, and happy men whistled. A few early commuters grumbled at the young man who strode along, whistling tunelessly. He didn't notice them. He was going home.

Mid afternoon, and Tatiana called, "He's back!"

Word spread, and the team from the DMT, working on the last units, turned and smiled as the tall young man was surrounded by beautiful women, hugging and crying over him. He looked at Tasha, and said, "Sorry, Tasha. But I came home again."

Tasha hugged him, "I'm very glad you came home."

Bernice said sternly, "Have you had anything to eat?"

Valencio was rueful, "Not today."

Bernice said, "Shower and change, you look like you need it, then come to the dining room, and I'll talk to Sarah about getting you something to eat."

_xdividerx_

Valencio was tired, but even now it was hard to keep still. Instead, he wandered around the new units. Mary joined him, and pointed. "That one's for me, Carol said. If I want, she says Dot can no doubt put my name on the door, but definitely not 'No. 43.'

"How are you coping?"

"I was one of the ones who fainted. I was sure that box was just to kill us, and I wasn't frightened of being killed. But now I'm frightened. I don't know how to be free."

Valencio said in a comforting voice, "Being free means you don't have to be frightened any more. No-one's going to punish."

Mary looked at the ground. It was alright for him. He was brave. He'd always been brave.

Valencio asked, "Can you show me your unit?"

Mary nodded silently, opened the door, and just looked. "Carol said I had to get bedding yet, but then I can move in. Cutlery and crockery too, maybe. There's a kitchen, and its own bathroom."

"It's nice."

"So much space, just for me."

Valencio squeezed her, and asked practically, "Where's the bedding you need?"

For the next hour, he worked in Mary's new unit, made up her bed, even helped her unpack, putting her few clothes in a large wardrobe. Mary mostly just watched, bewildered. At last, he stood back and said, "You'll soon get used to it."

But she shook her head, and her eyes filled with tears. There was a small couch, and he took her to it, and just sat beside her, arm around her, as she cried. She eventually sniffled herself to a halt. He said gently, "Remember when I was first moved over to Enclosure 2? I couldn't believe it. I didn't cry, but I was just so tired, and slept all the time."

She said quietly, "I remember."

He squeezed her again, "It's just a matter of getting used to things. You'll be fine."

Mary said hesitantly, "I'll be fine. It's alright."

He kissed her, and said again, "You'll be fine." But he noticed at dinner that she was being shepherded by Veronica, who also had Mareeta in tow.

He took more notice of the older ones after that. Kaede seemed perfectly serene, and Clarence and Bernice not too bad, maybe leaning on each other, but Mildred, Catherina, Monik, and several others, as well as Mary, just seemed so lost. Belinda, as well, who wandered around in a daze, and didn't make the slightest move to help with the work. Thierry admitted she was terrified, and Emma preferred to be always close to either Hilde or himself. Freedom was not an instant cure for them all.

Valencio thought it understandable in the older ones, but still could not understand that the younger ones refused to go off the property, and was taken aback when Margaret abused him as unfeeling when he suggested that she visit Joe Corbett with him.

_xdividerx_

Information came back about the relatives of those who'd asked. Tasha had addresses of three brothers, the knowledge that they were married, and had seven children between them. Also that her parents were still alive. The knowledge both pleased and unsettled her.

Valencio learned that his mother was dead, several years ago. He was given an address for Dean Blockman, and Dot told him that there was still a reward payable for information leading to his return.

"After all these years?"

"You're an exception. Mostly, it was not known for sure whether girls were kidnapped or just ran away, but apparently, your kidnappers were seen. It was definite."

"When I knew they were coming back for me in the night, I was going to run away, just leave home, and they wouldn't know where to find me, ever, and I'd be safe. Though I suppose I might have gone back by now."

Dot asked, "Have you thought about contacting your stepfather?"

"I can't go back!" How could he go back, after what he'd been? He was surprised that she'd even asked.

_xdividerx_

After another ten days, all the women were out of the dormitories, which were dismantled. Twenty were in bedrooms within the castle, the two couples in old workers' cottages, repaired and renewed, and the rest were in neat little units, each with a carport. A small allowance started to be paid to each of them for extras they might like to buy.

There was still work to do. The team from the DMT now went back to the earlier work they'd completed in a hurry, changing the clothes drying room, for instance, so that it could work by electricity. Improving offices, improving toilets and bathrooms, adding another external toilet block, adding another large laundry, with washing and drying machines.

Susan Bellamy, John Bellamy's daughter, worked on stables, saying that they were to get in a half dozen ponies, as the place was perfect for horse-riding.

There was no jeweller in Bogridge, but Valencio went to Duich, which was a fair size, though further away. His money didn't come anywhere near the price of a wedding ring. He looked at the woman who served him, disappointed. Suddenly, he pulled out Nusa'pei's gold pen. "This is gold, I think. Can the gold be turned into a wedding ring?"

The woman looked at the pen, surprised, and asked, "Are the diamonds real?"

"I don't know."

The young woman held out her hand, and looked at it very carefully, finally saying, "I'll ask my mother."

Valencio waited as mother and daughter conferred. "Mother says it would be a shame to destroy the pen, which is an artwork."

Valencio said, "I want to give Tasha a wedding ring."

The older woman said, "How much money do you have?"

The young woman answered for him, and said, "He says it's all he has."

Valencio looked at the woman hopefully. She handed him back the pen, and said, "Wait."

Valencio waited nearly fifteen minutes, leaning patiently against the wall.

The woman returned, showing him a gold ring in one of the same ring boxes that displayed the new rings. "It's second-hand, and worn a little thin in places. It was the symbol of a long and happy marriage, and is good luck. It is for you and your Tasha. One day, you can probably afford a new one, but now, maybe this will do for now."

Valencio accepted the ring, pulled it out of the box, and turned it over and over in his hands. It was a gift, and not because he'd given pleasure to a wizard. He didn't know what to say. His eyes were a little wet.

Gently, the old woman said, "There is no charge. It is for you, if you want it."

Valencio nodded, and said, "Please. I want it very much. Tasha. She's not had very much in her life, you see. I'll be able to do better now, but I needed a ring straightaway."

Once he left, the younger woman questioned, "Mum?"

"I can't wear it any more, with my knuckles becoming more swollen all the time. And I think he might have been one of the refugees that Maggie told us about."

"Why do you say that?"

"No idea of the value of money, and he was too good-looking to be real. There's another thing. I saw it before, a long time ago. That man has recently worn manacles, probably for a very long time."

"The rumours are that it was a harem."

Her mother nodded, and then chuckled, "It took ten minutes to take it off, then I had to polish it. I hope his Tasha appreciates it."

Tasha appreciated it, hugging her husband very close, and showing everyone. Valencio told her the story, and she said, "They're real people here, aren't they? They're good to us. Like your friends, the Corbetts, and this woman didn't even know us."

"She was looking at my wrists. It still shows. She might have guessed."

_xdividerx_

The following day, a notice appeared on their notice board. Television to each unit, to both occupied cottages, and to four small sitting rooms within the castle. Anyone not wanting television should tell Dot or Michael. TV! It seemed so wonderfully _ordinary._

A lot of money was being spent on them, but even Carol had not yet thought to ask who was paying. Part was donations. A lot was John Bellamy, who was a wealthy man, though now becoming thoroughly stretched. But TV served a purpose, especially for the older ones, who were so out of touch with current events, fashions, even language. There was new technology they needed to know, new knowledge. Tasha insisted to Valencio that it was valuable, but Valencio was impatient, finding it impossible to stay still for long enough even to watch a film through.

There was a new distraction, and Emma came to find him, especially, though Tasha could not be dragged away from a daytime serial on television. "The ponies have come, and you have to see." They walked towards the newly fenced horse paddock, and Emma said, "Her name's Susan, and she's going to be looking after the horses, and we'll be able to ride if we want."

The young woman was slightly built, with black hair, and a vivid, expressive face. The audience quickly grew as six ponies were unloaded from two horse boxes.

Tiffany laughed, and Susan said defensively, "They're quiet ponies, good to start on. And there's no point spending a lot of money until we know if people are interested."

Gloria pointed to one. He wore a halter, with a name on the brow band. "Blacky 2?" she asked, laughing.

Susan grinned. "Five are black, and three were called Blacky. We need new names."

Gloria asked, "Male or female?"

"Geldings, male."

Gloria was still grinning, and said, "Lightning, Thunder, and..." She paused dramatically, and growled in a sinister tone, "Dragon Breath."

Susan pulled out her wand, and names on halters were changed, Blacky 2 became Dragon Breath, Blacky 1 was Lightning, and Blacky 3 was Thunder. Gloria laughed her pleasure, and Susan introduced two black mares, Ruby and Kellie, and another gelding, ugly mottled grey and brown, Bluejoe.

Tiffany asked, "And when do we have the pleasure of riding these noble steeds?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. I'll check them again in the morning, just ride each of them for a few minutes, but they've all been children's ponies, and I'm sure they'll be fine."

Connie asked, "Can we pat them?"

"Of course."

Connie went to a black mare, and patted. Ruby nuzzled her, and looked for sugar. Connie hugged the neck of the mare, and Ruby looked a little puzzled. Sugar would have been better.

Valencio wasn't interested in learning to ride on the stolid ponies, but Emma and Connie came for him the following day when it was time.

Susan said, "We'll have better ones in later, if people are interested, but these are cheap, and just for a start."

Tiffany said something derisive, but Emma said indignantly, "They can't help not being Thoroughbreds, and they're all gentle and nice."

Valencio smiled at Emma, "Are you riding?"

Susan said, "We're going for a ride now, just as soon as I saddle up, but so far no-one but Tiffany wants to come."

Valencio looked at Emma, and said, "If I go, I'll need someone to hold my hand. I've never ridden a horse."

Emma giggled, "Don't tell lies. You just think I should be more brave."

Connie said, "Well, if you go, maybe I can be brave, as well."

Susan was very pleased, especially when Tiffany started helping her harness the ponies, patting, and speaking affectionately. That was the first of the rides that Susan Bellamy led, slow and careful, understanding that many of the medj were not merely inexperienced, they had become very timid. Their lives had been so limited. Everything was new. Everything was unfamiliar.

Susan was John Bellamy's daughter, and had something of his understanding, though she was only about twenty.

More stables were built, and Susan introduced three new horses. "They're Dad's, except for the chestnut mare, Candice, who's mine. But that's Reya, and that's Patrick."

"The names on the halters help," commented Gloria, still very interested, though she'd not yet ridden.

"Once you know them, you don't need them, but Dad's got a lot of horses, over a hundred retired ones in the Old Horses' Paddocks, and we've always done it like that."

Emma asked, "Are you coming this time, Valencio?"

Valencio shook his head, "Therese says there are more things arriving in what she calls the luggage room. She wants me to help organise."

"What sort of things?"

"Furniture. She said the boss seems to have gone on a spending spree in America."

"The boss!"

"They nearly all call him the boss, though I don't think he's boss for the DMT workers."

Valencio spent the rest of the morning shifting furniture under the direction of Therese. There were smaller items, too, which Therese shook her head over. "When the boss decides to spend, he doesn't do it by halves!"

She pointed to a large box, "It's cutlery. Can you take it to the kitchen."

Valencio picked up the heavy box, and paused, curiously. "He can send things America to here. You can't send things here to the kitchen?"

Therese shook her head, "Afraid not. The boss can, no-one else as far as I know."

Valencio still questioned, "He can do other things no-one else can?"

"All sorts of things. There's nobody like him." She added, "If anything's too heavy, just tell me and I'll take it myself."

Valencio nodded, and went off to do her bidding. Sarah laughed when he brought in the cutlery, and said, "I thought we had to be careful with money. I think his secretary might have to have a word with Bellamy!"

At last, Therese straightened, "We can knock off for lunch, now."

Valencio glanced at the remaining pile of goods. "Back after lunch?"

Therese asked, "Have you been out yet?"

"Not yet."

"Come with me after lunch in the car, if you want. I'm going to Duich for a few things. Or would that not make you feel free enough?"

"Is that why you think I do it?"

"Isn't it?"

Valencio admitted, "I guess, but I don't mind doing it in comfort for a change."

Therese smiled and warned, "I might want you to carry things."

"I'm good at carrying."

"What about Tasha?"

"I'll ask her, but she doesn't seem to want to go out." He frowned at Therese, and said, puzzled, "None of them want to go out. They were always so strong, even Belinda, and yet they don't want to go out."

"Joyce tells me it's a natural reaction, that time is all that's needed."

"I reckoned she was a healer."

Therese acknowledged, "DMT healer, but she's given up and gone now. She thought people should talk, and that talking makes everything better."

"Naive?"

"Very wise, I think."

Valencio shrugged. He would never talk about it. Best buried just as deep as he could manage. It was good that no-one knew just how terribly dirty he was underneath the surface. He wasn't cured, either. That last evening, several times he'd responded to the fondling. He couldn't help it, and they always loved it. Maybe it had helped them get away?

_xdividerx_

"Bellamy's here," Tasha told him that evening, as soon as he appeared for dinner. "He's got someone with him."

Valencio looked at Bellamy with suspicion and distrust, and went to the far end of the furthest table. He thought Bellamy was like Yiko, who'd always frightened him, and had been able to manipulate him into excitement, even when he hated him most.

Tasha told him not to be so silly, and abandoned him to sit closer to the great wizard, who'd arrived without warning, and in just eight days, they'd been out of Morocco, free. They owed him so much.

Bellamy was greeted with pleasure by the women, and took care to be friendly and completely non-threatening, sitting with Dot and Michael, who always ate with them, with their little boy in a highchair. The other Anirage ate separately, and always had.

Whispers ran up and down the tables. "The man with him is all confused, and called Jimmy."

"They say he was in Enclosure 3."

"Until Bellamy came, they never left there alive. They must have done awful things."

"He started trembling, and said it just happens sometimes, that it means nothing."

"The other man?"

"No, Bellamy."

"Jimmy calls him John."

Valencio was wondering how he could discreetly slip out. He still didn't want the powerful wizard to notice him. Bellamy stood up, and raised his voice slightly. There were eighty-one medj there, not counting Jimmy, and each heard perfectly. He spoke mildly, "My friend is Jimmy Rawlings, who was in Enclosure 3. They've left him damaged, but he's going to get better with time. You can talk to him about magic and wizards. He's suffered under the Khatabis the same as the rest of you. Clarence has offered to look after him."

Thierry asked Valencio as Bellamy sat again, "Why did he tell us like that?"

"The pendreiya remember. We were not allowed to talk about magic to other medj, but he's making sure we can talk to Jimmy."

Thierry nodded. "If he's to live here, it would be difficult not to."

To Valencio's relief, Bellamy didn't even glance up when he left the room.

Later, when Bellamy was out of the way, Valencio went to talk to Clarence, who had Jimmy close. "We're putting him in a bedroom in the castle, close to Hilde. She'll keep an eye on him."

Jimmy said humbly, "I can't think properly any more, but John said he'd look after me."

Clarence said, "I'll keep him with me during the days, and John's staying at least two nights, he said. He wanted to make sure Jimmy's happy with us."

Valencio looked at Jimmy, whose eyes wandered vaguely. He looked unhappy. He said gently, "It's a good place here. A good home. And Bellamy says you'll get better."

Jimmy said, "His name's John. John Doe. He used to be a Martian."

Valencio suggested, "We could go into the ballroom. Belinda has started playing again most nights, even though the piano's gone out of tune."

No-one said they needed Diethard with his special spell to tune it again. Instead, Clarence said, "Most of us are a bit out of tune."

Valencio nodded. That was about right, he reckoned. Jimmy was just a bit more obviously so.

Jimmy was badly damaged, to the extent that if unsupervised, he could cause accidents. When Dot explained to Bellamy that they tried never to disturb the medj in the ballroom, "Sort of a wizard no-go area," he simply used his telepathic skills to check on him, and reassured himself that he was fine.

Later in the evening, he checked on him again, seeing him with Valencio, who was showing him the fence. "Low, so we can climb it, even if there wasn't a gate. No high fences." But then, to Bellamy's relief, he only turned back to the castle, Jimmy with him, and said, "It's a good place here. You can stay with us until you're better."

Bellamy knew about being a prisoner. Fences were alright, as long as you could cross them. Valencio had said just what Jimmy needed to hear, and maybe what Valencio also needed to feel. He'd keep checking on Jimmy for several days yet, but it was looking as if the provisions he'd made for him, were working out.

_xdividerx_

Valencio didn't leave the property the day after. He spent his time with Clarence and Jimmy. Jimmy wanted to wander, and Clarence, after a while, left it to Valencio to walk with him, not trying to influence his direction, just walking with him, and listening to the mixture of sense and nonsense he spoke.

"There's no high fences," Jimmy said.

Valencio agreed. "No high fences, and if we want, we can leave. There's no-one here who doesn't want us to be safe."

Jimmy said, "John climbed over the fences once, and Alec had to shoot him."

"Was John a prisoner once, then?"

"His name was John Doe, and he said we had to have ice-creams because he liked ice-creams."

Valencio shook his head, but remembered that for a time, he hadn't made sense either. There was probably sense there, underneath it all, but maybe like Maycoota, who'd had blue scales. Jimmy pointed to a line of six ponies, led by Susan on her own horse, and with Tiffany, on a tall brown horse in the rear. "They're all such beautiful women. They should have beautiful horses."

"Emma says the horses are gentle and nice. She says we're not allowed to say they're not beautiful."

"They kept putting a Confusion Spell on me. That's what John said. It's why I don't understand things, and forget things all the time."

_xdividerx_

Valencio was no longer as restless, but others were becoming more so. Dot found less and less cooperation. The DMT workers left, and after a conference, there was a change of the volunteer workers. Wizards were too obviously shunned, and stopped coming, but there were more Ania, as there was a lot of work yet to do, and many of the medj women no longer wanted to work with them. And now the Ania, too, were finding themselves shunned.

Valencio still spoke to Dot and Therese, and others of the women workers, but wouldn't go near Michael, who had short hair now and never wore robes or cape. It made no difference to Valencio. His whole being seemed to scream _wizard_.

The App. Box landing and App. Zone were discreetly enclosed in a shed, and an enclosed 'App. Zone 2,' was organised, just around the corner from the main gate onto the road. Three small cars were garaged there, so that people arriving by apparation could then drive the car normally through the gate, and reduce the risk of being seen. Once that was done, no wizards were seen any more, not even Michael, and Valencio breathed a sigh of relief.

Michael and the little boy were back living at their own place, and Dot apparated to Loch Lomand every day instead of living on site. But there was always one female worker available in case of need. Observable magic ceased, and a team of expert medj caterers took over so that they were better fed.

They should have been more comfortable, but there were continual squabbles, as had never happened in the enclosures.

"Just reaction," Kaede said, and tried to spread her calm.

Clarence and Bernice were more contented, involved in learning to cook. They wanted to take over as catering managers. It was an interest and a purpose. Most of them lacked that.

The DMT felt they had achieved a great deal, very quickly, providing a new home for the refugees. The DMT Head, Dache Pierrre Tranter, visited at the beginning of June, just a month after their rescue. They had assembled at Dot's request, still with the habit of obedience. Tranter was a strong supporter of John Bellamy, who was sometimes a controversial figure. The Dachier had done an enormous amount to facilitate the settling of the medj in their new home, and thought he deserved some credit. Besides, he was a politician, and liked making speeches. He wore his customary elaborate robes, and had intended to make a speech of welcome, maybe try and assure them that not all Anirage were like the Khatabis.

Valencio stared at him with a growing hostility, muttered something about '_bloody wizards,'_ turned his back and left, followed by a trickle and then a flood of women. Tranter's audience evaporated. He looked at Dot, who shrugged, "I warned you. They don't like wizards, they don't like magic, and I can't just leave them to it because not even their leader has the confidence to deal with outsiders."

"What about that young man I saw? He seems to have plenty of confidence!"

"Even Carol admits that Valencio's unstable. We don't want him knocking down local businessmen." She added, "He does a lot of work, though, and whistles while he does it, even when it's mopping out toilets. He looks after Jimmy, too, now that Clarence and Bernice are trying to learn to cook."

"So the story's not all bad, then."

Dot smiled, "Not by a long way."

_xdividerx_

Jimmy wasn't showing much improvement, but he was not unhappy. When Brigitta talked to him for a while, and then started sleeping with him every night, he started whistling with Valencio, obviously a lot more practised than Valencio, whose tunelessness had some of the women covering their ears.

Susan Bellamy was there every day, pleased that Loch Lomand was in apparation range of home, so that she could continue spending her nights with her boyfriend. She took no part in organisation, suspecting that it would only make her unpopular. Instead, she led rides all over the property, giving the medj the choice of route. The ponies were quiet, and some took them off by themselves.

Susan consulted, more stables were built, and more ponies and horses were supplied, some borrowed from her father's place, some purchased.

More of the women were becoming increasingly edgy. Others gave in to lethargy. Some, like Tasha, did little else but watch television, no matter how inane the content. Gloria no longer took any interest in the horses, and when Therese asked for some minor help with a task, snapped that she wanted nothing to do with a foul witch! But Maliwan, close by, went to Gloria, and they went off together.

Valencio was given the message, and he found Therese, and asked if he and Jimmy could help. He had no intention of making any apology for Gloria's behaviour, though. How many years had wizards stolen from his friend?

Therese took it philosophically, and remarked to her sister, Katrina, later, that it was just that the medj were scarred, except that their scars still hurt. Katrina and Therese had been aurors once, they both bore scars.

When Dot was treated to some real rudeness by ones she'd admired as intelligent, stable women, she went to the DMT Healer for advice. Joyce merely advised patience, and reminded her that most had not experienced normal living since they were children. Dot sighed, "I'm doing my best for them, and they just can't cope without me, but even Carol is barely polite!"

Dot kept her temper, and was resented as much for her understanding and tolerance as she was for being Ania. There was no interest when lessons in cooking or sewing were offered, and no-one took up the chance to go on an excursion off the property. Jimmy had become one of them, and followed their lead. Even Jimmy wouldn't talk to Dot, or Katrina or Therese. Poor Dot wished she'd never volunteered for the unrewarding job.

_xdividerx_

Valencio and Jimmy walked every day, though within bounds. Valencio didn't want Jimmy wandering off and getting lost. One day, Inge, Brigitta and Evita joined them. Jimmy beamed and put out his arms to Brigitta, and the others giggled. Evita and Inge had vowed to be celibate for the rest of their lives, but Brigitta's experience of sex had only been with Abensur. Brigitta thought she might need regular doses of sex for the rest of her life.

Inge smiled at Valencio, and announced with an air of condescension that they'd decided to let them share a special place that had a waterfall.

Valencio asked, "The waterfall that Connie and Mary know?"

Inge shook her head. "A different one. A secret one."

Valencio answered, "We'd like that, wouldn't we, Jimmy?"

But Jimmy didn't answer, just filling his eyes with Brigitta, who was as dirty and ragged looking as the other two girls. For three years, they'd had to appear clean, and in fresh clothes whenever they had an appointment. They were taking pleasure in being dirty, and wearing the same clothes day after day. Besides, now they had to wash their clothes themselves, rather than just throw them in a laundry basket. They were almost the only ones though. Nearly all the others kept themselves clean and tidy.

The way to the secret waterfall involved crawling through bushes and scrambling through boggy patches, but the girls took not the slightest notice of Valencio's mild complaint when his face was scratched by a bough that swung back at him after Inge's passage.

"You can fix yourself afterwards with the lotion in the First Aid room," he was told, blithely.

Their dislike of magic never quite extended to avoiding the use of the healing lotions, and Valencio still used his shaver that worked with magic. The gold pen that he'd tried to trade for a wedding ring might have excited a bit of curiosity as well, as it needed no ink.

"We saw a deer here once," remarked Inge. "But it's very secret, and you're not allowed to tell anyone, not even Tasha."

Valencio sat on the wet grass, looked around and smiled. "It's a wonderful place. And you're right. It's good to have a secret like this."

The girls were satisfied. They were a little in awe of him, in spite of those lessons he'd given them, both the languages, and in killing wizards. This approach was mostly because of the way he looked after Jimmy. Brigitta liked to sleep with Jimmy, and was fond of him, but didn't want to be bothered with him all day.

Inge sat down beside him, also disregarding the wet grass. She said, "Susan's got more horses now. There's a brown one called Storm, and a grey one called Mosquito, and another brown one called Gus, with socks and a blaze."

"Socks?" Valencio queried, laughing.

"White on his legs, and Susan said they're called socks."

"Have you been riding yet?"

"Too busy, but we might start."

"You'll need long pants," Valencio cautioned, "Otherwise the stirrups pinch your legs."

"Can you and Jimmy come with us if we go this afternoon?"

Valencio laughed, and said, "Is that why we're treated to a sight of your special place?"

Brigitta asked, "Jimmy, can you ride?"

Jimmy said, "I don't think so." But then he added, "John can ride, very fast. And one day, he turned into a horse and galloped away."

"John?" queried Inge.

Brigitta said, "He talks about John sometimes. It's Bellamy, except he says he was John Doe, and they had to keep him prisoner."

Valencio asked, "Is it true, do you think, Brigitta?"

"Oh, yes. I think a part of it must be true. Jimmy was a soldier, he told me, and I don't think it was long ago."

Valencio asked, "Jimmy, how long was John a prisoner?"

"Until he ran away, and we were supposed to shoot him, but we didn't."

"Why was he a prisoner?"

"He was sick, and they thought he was a Martian."

Brigitta said, "We know Riza did something to him, and then dumped him in New York. Maybe they somehow knew he was not a normal person, and the army kept him prisoner."

"Is that right, Jimmy?"

"Kept him a prisoner, and he didn't like it and tried to run away all the time."

They tried to get him to tell them more, but Jimmy stood up and complained that his bottom was wet. When they persisted, he said he didn't know anyone called John, and they should be more considerate, because he couldn't think any more.

Valencio said, "We'll go back now then, and you can put on dry pants, and we'll go riding this afternoon."

The girls beamed. If Valencio was there, they would be safe.

Valencio said, "You do realise I've only been riding about three times in my life!"

He helped saddle the horses in the afternoon. He quite often helped Susan, and was familiar with the horses, who were relaxed with him. He seldom said much, however, not to Susan, who was Ania. This time, he said, "Bellamy's your father, isn't he?"

"That's right," replied Susan, patting Bluejoe, who was sniffing at her pockets for sugar.

"Was he a prisoner not so long ago?"

"Riza Khatabi wiped his memory, and did a curse that should have wiped out his mind. He was very sick, and spent nearly two years as a prisoner of the American Army. Jimmy was a guard there. Dad told me."

"Jimmy was a guard, and John Bellamy was a prisoner." Valencio shook his head, and said, "It's hard to imagine."

"Apparently he was just beginning to wake after being in a coma for months, and he shaved with magic, and he was seen. So they were a bit puzzled about that, and locked him up while they tried to work out what he was. It's why we try to keep the existence of Anirage very quiet. Medj don't like us much."

She went to Ruby, and said, "Mary said she might come, but she's said that three times, and then doesn't turn up. And every day, she visits Ruby just to pat."

Susan hadn't suffered nearly as much rudeness as Dot, Katrina and Therese, but wasn't surprised, all the same, when Valencio didn't speak to her again, though he was helpful getting the horses ready. "You can have Patrick," she told him. "You're too tall for any of the others except Reya, and Tiffany's out with her."

Without comment, Valencio saddled Patrick, and then Candice, for Susan. Candice was Susan's own horse, a high quality mare.

"Who are the girls having?"

"Mosquito, Gus and Storm. I think they're what lured them finally into joining us."

The girls were pleased with their ride, and asked for proper riding lessons so they could learn to gallop. With thirteen riders that time, most of them timid, Susan only led them at a walk. She promised to work out a new schedule to include two rides a day, a slow one, and one including at least a canter, as well as an hour in a paddock, giving more formal lessons.

Inge patted her mount, and asked if they could have special horses, but Susan apologised, and said there were just not enough, adding, "Maybe we can get more, but we'd need more stables first."

She was granted a thank you that day, which she noticed, because it was rare.

_xdividerx_

Dot was never thanked, and had started using a notice board to convey any news they needed to know. There were fewer turned backs that way. She, Katrina and Therese were working very hard trying to look after so many women, few of whom seemed to be making any effort to help themselves. "They're quarrelling among themselves, as well," reported Katrina, "But still none of them are apparently giving a thought to leaving."

"Valencio told me once how brave and wonderful they were, that the ones in Enclosure 1 worked very hard to make sure the older ones were not simply killed because they were no use to anyone."

"They're not seeming brave and wonderful now - more frightened and quarrelsome."

"We shouldn't judge. How would we be if we'd been kidnapped as children to be used for sex? Kept years and years, and knowing we could be killed as useless if they chose?"

"I'd go to pieces," admitted Dot. "I guess that's what they've done. Just temporarily, maybe."

There was little change throughout June, the second month of their freedom. There were a few things - the girls became very keen on riding, and rapidly improved. Tiffany had already been competent, though it was so many years since she'd ridden. Eva and Lucy were also more confident than most, seventeen and eighteen when taken, and only in their early twenties now.

The ones taken as young children were the most timid, frightened to do new things, frightened to set foot outside the boundary of the home that Bellamy had made for them. Mareeta, Sheila, Mildred, Mary, a dozen more. They seemed to live with fear, though at least the group leaders no longer had to collect them for meals because they were frightened to leave their units or bedrooms. Emma and Thierry, as well, and Belinda stared vaguely around as if she'd given up all idea of thinking for herself. They were the worst, but even Carol seemed to have retreated, and without her prompting, Helene's efforts ceased, as well. There were no Committee meetings.

Jimmy showed little improvement, and could not be coaxed to talk any further about John Doe, whom he'd apparently forgotten. He was happy enough, working with Valencio at whatever he tackled, sometimes with Clarence and Bernice, preparing food and washing up, and beaming with pleasure when Brigitta collected him to go to bed.

Dot organised a library to accommodate the books that had arrived from Morocco, but no-one seemed interested. Those books had been read and re-read. She tried to consult with Carol, who only shrugged and wandered off, so instead, she put up a notice that anyone wanting to keep a particular book should take it, and she'd trade all the others for different books, though second-hand. They were not likely to tell her what books they might enjoy, but she took note of those that disappeared - the books about wild horses, the brumbies of Australia, and one written long ago by Henry Bellamy, all very worn. She wondered if they realised that it was by the Bellamy they knew.

Most of the books were rejected by the dealer - too old and tattered. She bought some anyway, as many as possible, but with regard to money being limited. She was sure the boss had not the slightest idea how much this place was costing him. As many books as she could find about wild horses, which wasn't many - and quite a lot of books about cars. Someone, probably one of the men, must have been interested in cars - there'd been so many books about cars.

She also organised one of the larger unused rooms like a small movie theatre, with a large screen, and rows of chairs. She chose a selection of films every week, hoping they'd take advantage of it. But otherwise, she left them to their own devices as much as possible, not even eating with them. It seemed to work better if she kept away as much as possible. She was barely tolerated, and was becoming thoroughly depressed.

_xchapter endx_


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. The wizard now known as Bellamy was once Harry Potter. He is now very old_

_Chapter 9:_

At the end of June, there was a change. Valencio and Jimmy were cleaning one of the toilet blocks at the time, a job which they did routinely. Not that there was much to do - it was never left messy. Ingrid and Treen came to tell them - "Bellamy's here, and he looks just like he did when we saw him that very first time, except that his hair's a bit longer and he's got a bruised cheek."

Jimmy said quaveringly, "Do you mean John? Is John here?"

Treen said, "Yes, Jimmy. Do you want to talk to him?"

Jimmy said, "I don't know you, and I have to stay with Vince now."

Treen said, "Vince?"

Valencio shook his head, decidedly. "I have jobs to do. Ask Brigitta if she'll take him."

Valencio planned to keep as much out of sight of Bellamy as possible. Therese had let slip that he had telepathy, laughing that although he claimed never to use it normally, he was probably using it all the time when among numerous Khatabis. So Bellamy wasn't just a powerful wizard, he was a powerful wizard with telepathy, just like Narzu-Han and Yiko. Michael may not have threatened him, or the other wizards who'd helped in the early days, but they were 'servants' of John Bellamy, and maybe weren't allowed.

If Bellamy wanted him, what could he do? Tasha still refused to even go off the property. The women were not frightened of him. In their experience, not every wizard wanted them, and once they were in Enclosure 2, they'd been left entirely alone.

Valencio finished both toilet blocks by himself, the laundry block, and wondered what next to do that would keep him as far away as possible. In the end, he went and brushed a few of the horses. Susan kept them clean with magic, but they loved being manually brushed, and couldn't get enough of it.

Belinda was there, crooning over Bluejoe, and he handed her a brush as well when she asked.

"They like it, don't they?"

Valencio agreed, "It feels good to them."

Belinda said nervously, "Bellamy's here."

Valencio reassured, "He won't hurt you."

The dreamy girl, who seemed so vague, so often, said shrewdly, "Then why are you hiding?"

Valencio went bright red, and she laughed and said kindly, "He won't hurt you."

Valencio grinned ruefully, and admitted, "He reminds me of Yiko. And Yiko always frightened me."

"Gloria says we're not allowed to even mention their names."

"A good thing, too. The whole thing best forgotten."

Belinda said slowly, "I don't actually _want_ to forget so many years of my life."

Valencio shuddered. He would like to forget, especially those first five years, but it was part of him now, the dirtiness, and the desire he feared, the desire for what made him so dirty.

Tasha found him after a while, and laughed. "It's alright. He's taken Brigitta shopping. They'll probably be hours."

Valencio was stunned, "She's gone out with him?"

"Apparating. Jimmy's with Clarence, who's organising lunch, but he's in the way, and Clarence wants you to collect him."

Valencio shook his head, and remarked, "She's very brave."

Jimmy welcomed Valencio when he reported to the kitchen area, and said, "I'm a nuisance here. You never say I'm a nuisance."

Bernice said indignantly, "I did _not_ say you're a nuisance. Just that there's too many trying to help."

Jimmy apologised humbly, and said to Valencio, "John told me again what was real. I can't work it out sometimes, you see."

Valencio said, "I was told they kept changing your memory, but you're getting better now. I can tell."

Jimmy smiled, "I think I'm getting better, as well."

"What do you want to do until lunch?"

An hour after lunch, Brigitta found them. She cuddled a black Labrador pup, and said, "I'm going to ask Gloria. She's good with names."

Valencio patted the pup, and said, "She named a plain and placid black pony, _Dragon Breath!_ On what basis do you think she's good with names?"

Brigitta said, "I would never have thought of that name."

Valencio had to acknowledge that he would not have thought of it either.

"Susan and Bellamy have taken Inge and Evita now, and they say they want puppies as well."

"Did you buy anything else?"

"Lots of clothes." She giggled. "I wanted to buy a bra, and he asked why. I bought one, though."

She opened her shirt, and Valencio reddened. "You shouldn't do that. We have to learn different manners now."

Brigitta was amused, "You've seen naked women since you were younger than me. Why should this upset you?"

Jimmy stretched out a hand, and said softly, "It doesn't upset me!"

By dinner, Evita and Inge each fussed over a pup from the same pet shop. But Valencio was relieved that Bellamy ate with Dot and Therese, rather than in their dining room, and then went home for the night. He was back the following day, Valencio heard. Again he kept away.

But when he turned up for lunch, he found Tasha already there, in new clothes, and full of high spirits. "We went to Edinburgh, and he bought me whatever I asked for, and then he said we had to have an ice-cream each, because he said that ice-cream heals all wounds of the spirit."

"Ice-cream? So all we need is ice-cream, and it's like it never happened?"

Tasha laughed, "I don't think he actually believes it, but it was good."

Valencio said uneasily, "Just you?"

"He can only apparate with one at a time, but he's promised to take Maliwan and then Kwai-Jeeha this afternoon."

Bellamy kept coming, and Valencio had to acknowledge that he was helping many of the women. Each day, one or two went with him, coming back exhilarated, happy, and with an armful of their purchases.

Farfalla found him after her excursion, told him that Bellamy was very sexy, and had acted like a benign father figure. "He took me to Athens. Just in an instant, because I asked. I was never in Athens, have never gone shopping. But Greece is my country, and it was wonderful." She smiled at him. "Would you make love with me now? I feel so good, and I want to make love."

Valencio kissed his old friend, and said he'd love to. It hadn't been a conscious decision, but ever since the marriage ceremony with Tasha, these invitations had become more rare, and Valencio didn't look for them.

A couple of days after Farfalla's visit to Athens, Bellamy leaned against a small bus, while a dozen excited, nervous women boarded. Dot was to drive.

"He can't drive," Tasha said to him in a low voice, as they watched from a distance. "The most powerful wizard in the world, and Therese told me he can't drive!"

The dozen women brought back fifteen dogs and cats from an animal shelter, all that were available at the time. Gloria held a scrawny Siamese cat, who looked resigned, rather than pleased, at being held.

"Dot says the animals can have free range within the castle, except the kitchen and dining room. She says that Bellamy's home always has cats and dogs wandering around. That he's got two dogs of his own, but since his wife died, he spends hardly any time at home."

"His wife died?"

"Just over a year ago."

"Someone said once his wife was medj."

"_Was_ she?" exclaimed Gloria.

Valencio put out a hand to stroke Gloria's cat. The cat flattened its ears a little, defensively, and he only touched it very gently, and then withdrew his hand.

Gloria remarked, "He said that you couldn't expect a cat to be sweet and nice when it's known ill treatment."

Jimmy smiled unexpectedly, and said confidently, "John knows these things. You can trust John. He's not like anyone else."

_xdividerx_

Dot was beginning to feel encouraged. She was no longer encountering rudeness, and she spoke to Katrina, who offered an excursion to a scenic area nearby. The bus waited, and women approached, and then stood uncertainly, and left.

"He's not going," said Treen.

Valencio said, "Tasha, do you want to go? If I'm going?"

Tasha looked at him uneasily, and said, "There's something I want to watch on TV."

Valencio guessed she'd seen him acting the fool too often to ever really trust him to keep her safe. And maybe she was right. He didn't know what he was, exactly, but he didn't feel like a man who could keep his wife safe.

He left Jimmy with Clarence, instead, and went out himself, calling on Joe and Anne Corbett, and then walking on to Bogridge, luckily finding a lift to bring him most of the way back. All the same, he was barely in time for dinner, and Tasha tore his character to shreds. He should have known she was lonely and needed him, and he hadn't even told her he was going.

Valencio looked at the floor, and apologised. They'd been free ten weeks. Life as a free man was a lot more complicated than being a prisoner in an enclosure.

But Bellamy was back the day after, and went in the small bus with Carol, Helene and a few other women to Duich, where they wandered and spent their allowances.

For Carol, it was the first time she'd been off the property. She'd been an assured and competent leader for a long time, shouldering responsibility for all of them, as best she could. These recent years, when they'd lived on a knife edge... She was not superhuman, and had dissolved into lethargy, but she now told herself it was time to pick up the pieces. Daytime TV was not for people with work to do.

She reconvened the Committee, and things began to change. Women were allotted responsibilities, and those who worked, were paid, in addition to the small allowance they all received.

Dot breathed a sigh of relief when she found she was no longer ostracised, and the medj began to work with her again. Katrina and Therese felt the difference, as well. The pointless bickering that had persisted for several weeks, was at an end.

_xdividerx_

Bernice and Clarence were the first to earn a full-time wage, when at the end of July, the contract of the caterers expired, and they were replaced with just one head cook, and by Clarence and Bernice who wanted to take over as soon as possible. They were to have six helpers every mealtime, rostered from those without other responsibilities.

The head cook, Svetlana, was consumed with curiosity about the background of the odd community, whose members seemed so ignorant in some ways, and so mature in others. Tiffany finally gave the prepared story, said that it was very painful to talk about it, and Svetlana stopped asking questions. She didn't look at them with pity, though - rather, with awe, interpreting their story as soooo romantic!

Tiffany was rather pleased with herself, and most of them amused. If only she knew! Clarence told her casually that he and Valencio had been ordinary servants, who'd just happened to marry two of those in the harem. Svetlana appeared to accept it.

Valencio had a little more money now, as he was paid for two hours work a day, cleaning duties, Jimmy as well.

Dot did not differentiate, treating Jimmy just the same as the others. She was working hard at learning all the names of the women, but there were still a lot who avoided her, and it was not always easy. Identifying characteristics helped. Kaede was brown, and her hair had a lot of grey. The one with bright red hair was Bridget. But there were others she always mixed up, so many of them blonde, all of them beautiful, so many of them seeming now so quiet and shy, pathologically so.

Dot was sure that it helped that Bellamy always appeared looking so ordinary, so approachable. Maybe even that he wore glasses, and had scars on his face. When she saw him emerging from the shed that concealed App. Zone 1, she sternly rebuked him in front of some of the women, and reminded him that there was a more discreet way to enter. She wanted the shy ones to see him as only human.

It turned out that Bellamy did actually know how to drive, and he adopted a small orange car, and each day drove slowly and cautiously the half mile from the gate to the castle. He was looked for now, and women would be waiting and watching for his arrival. There were more excursions in the bus, shopping, and getting to know a little more of the area. It seemed that Bellamy gave them confidence, and a few started to refer to him as their 'Good luck.'

Tasha was one of those who waited for him one day, Valencio next to her, though he didn't plan on joining the planned excursion to the beach. Jimmy was going with Clarence and Bernice, who would look after him. He was accustomed to them. It was summer, and they'd prepared for swimming. Tasha pointed as the orange car appeared and turned into the drive, but she clutched her husband painfully when the car thumped straight into the fence post, and then Bellamy didn't get out of the car.

Brigitta panted, "I'm getting Dot," and Tasha and the others ran towards the car, Valencio first, suddenly acutely anxious for the man he avoided. What would happen to them if he wasn't there any more?

Their worst fears seemed to be confirmed, and Valencio was not the only one who felt a panic. John Bellamy was slumped forward over the steering wheel, and with blood on his forehead. Valencio reached in and felt his neck, where the pulse beat strongly. It was alright. He wasn't dead. But he still looked around anxiously, as Dot hurried to join the group surrounding the car, and also touched.

Dot said reassuringly, "He's just knocked out. He was probably only going slowly, as he knows perfectly well he can't drive!"

The relief in the air was palpable. Dot stood back, considering. Connie asked, "Why can't he drive better?"

"It's a very old brain injury. When he's sick or very tired, he staggers, always to the left. And when he tries to drive a vehicle, it has a strong tendency to veer to the left."

"It's the left hand gate post he hit," observed Valencio.

"Just so," said Dot.

At that moment, Bellamy moaned slightly and stirred. Dot waited until he sat, blinking at those around him. "Ready to get out of the car, now, Boss?"

Bellamy did as he was told, and just as Dot had said, he didn't seem to be able to stay upright very well, nearly falling until grabbed by Valencio, who then moved to his left, and securely held him. Dot carefully backed the car away from the gate post. Bellamy was put back in, but the passenger side, and driven back to the castle.

Valencio only stood, watching after them, though Tasha already hurried with the others. The great wizard was human. He had something wrong with him, though it never normally showed. And he'd accepted the support of Valencio, with even a slurred 'Thank you.'

A half hour later, it turned out that the group had decided to go anyway, even without Bellamy, who was reported to be alright, but not feeling like a day at the beach. Katrina was to drive. Tasha told Valencio that Clarence said they had to be brave, and besides, it was a sunny day, and she needed to try out her new swimmers.

"Well, we're not allowed to swim naked. I asked Dot, and she said we're not."

Bernice hesitated, and then took a pair of shorts and a shirt to Katrina, and asked if she could change the numbers, to just say Bernice on the inside. Without comment, Katrina drew her wand, and made the change.

Valencio asked suddenly, "Is there space for me?"

Katrina counted, and smiled at him. "There's space, but you'll have to run."

Valencio ran, grabbing a pair of shorts to act as swimmers, and a towel, and was back at the bus before they'd finished loading. Tasha smiled at him, and moved over, as Jimmy told them all that John always got sick, but he always got better again.

It was another landmark, the first time off the property for some of them, and the first time without Bellamy. There was another thing. Katrina was requested several more times to change numbers on clothing, to names on the inside, also later, to dry clothes. They were no longer shying away from magic as much, or not when it was useful to them.

Valencio and Jimmy romped together in the surf, though Mildred watched anxiously from the shore, and asked Katrina whether it was really safe. Katrina answered comfortably that they both appeared perfectly competent swimmers.

When Valencio came out, he asked Mildred whether she'd been in yet. Mildred shook her head. He offered, "There's that rock pool, where the water's warmer. I thought I might try that next, much more relaxing."

Mildred smiled, and he held her hand as she stepped tentatively into the water, followed by Bernice and Clarence, who had also not braved the surf. Jimmy sat next to Brigitta and told her how beautiful she was.

Bellamy was staying the night, it turned out, with the explanation that it was dangerous to apparate when dizzy. But when Clarence conferred with Carol, and then with others, he joined them at dinner, and so did Dot. The highchair that Dot's little boy used, was also carried in by Clarence. It appeared that Dot and Michael were to move back in properly, at the request of the committee.

Valencio swore when he heard, but under his breath. He didn't want to get into trouble with Tasha, who was pleased. He would have liked to skip dinner, but Tasha didn't give him the chance. At least she didn't object when he went to the table furthest from where Bellamy sat. She still refused to consider leaving...

He watched the wizard, although pretending not to. It was when he saw him stagger once, just slightly, and swiftly disguised, that he relaxed a little. It made him appear less potentially threatening. And someone whispered to him that he often had trembling attacks, almost every day, that he always said it meant nothing. Bellamy had only helped them, had never threatened him in the slightest. But he was a wizard, and Valencio knew not to trust a wizard. He was constantly surprised that the women were prepared to trust, it seemed without reservation.

_xdividerx_

Bellamy stayed again a few nights later, explaining that his own place was swarming with medj, the local Pony Club Gymkhana, and he wasn't supposed to be seen. Valencio still avoided him.

Michael moved back in, and started working at opening up more rooms of the castle that had been derelict for over sixty years before it was bought by Bellamy for his rescued medj. There were dungeons and cellars, that they'd not yet seen, and the whole of the South Wing was closed off as still unsafe. Michael was avoided by many of the women, but the little boy, Robin, was very popular.

They were all, without exception, very curious about Bellamy, and the Anirage found themselves answering questions all day. Dot asked, finally, whether they'd like her to order in a few copies of the wizarding newspaper, _The Aniragi News_, and maybe a magazine.

Carol was surprised. "You have your own newspapers?"

"Newspapers, magazines, books... The boss is the great wizard. He often gets a mention, though you have to remember it's often thoroughly exaggerated, what they say."

A week later, three copies of The Aniragi News were making the rounds. There was a picture of Bellamy, wearing formal wizard robes, as they'd never seen him. The headlines, _'Hoist with his own petard,'_ referred to a device that Bellamy had invented to tell if people were related. It seemed there was an illegitimate daughter, who had announced herself very publicly at a formal function he was attending, and there was a photograph of Susan and another girl, who looked very similar, _'Yvette Bouys.'_ The newspaper editorial was almost gleeful - the great wizard who dared to criticise the conduct of others, and now there was an illegitimate daughter of his own, and not the first, though there were no details supplied about any other illegitimate children.

There was another story in the weekly magazine for Ania, called _Pat's Mag,_ about the town where Yvette had grown up, and Bellamy had lived for a few months.

Gloria said to Tiffany that she wished she dared ask him about it, but Tiffany shook her head. "He's good to us, and we shouldn't embarrass him. Besides, sometimes I remember that he's a wizard, too. No doubt he could perform the Spell of Pain if he chose, and any questions about that girl would be definite insolence."

Valencio asked doubtfully, "Would he punish, though?"

"I'm not planning to find out!"

That night, Valencio tried to persuade Tasha that it was time to leave Loch Lomand. He was sure they could get jobs if they wanted.

Tasha said sceptically, "Just how would you go about getting a job?"

"There's a place in Bogridge. I'll show you. I think they're about getting jobs."

Tasha shook her head, and said, "I can't. This is home, and I'm not ready to leave. One day. Not yet."

Valencio stroked the head that lay on his shoulder, and said, "I might just ask. But you're my wife, and as long as this is your home, it is mine."

Tasha was relieved. She was sometimes frightened that Valencio would leave her. He seemed ready to leave Loch Lomand, and yet she didn't think he was - not really.

Bellamy was only coming every two or three days, now. Not every day. His youngest daughter was home from school, and his second daughter had just left school, and was opening a bookshop. He was working sometimes, too, spell-breaking. Brahim had been cured by the great wizard, and Valencio remembered that Narzu-Han had told him that Brahim said that he'd looked very bored. Valencio suggested to Brigitta that she ask him about it - did he really break 'unbreakable' spells, and did it really make him bored?

The answer came back. Brigitta said that he'd be doing one day a week since he'd caught up, and that it was mostly boring, occasionally a challenge, but it was an obligation, as there were ones no-one else could do. Valencio laughed, and said, "Can you imagine Ahjmed or Adil, even Narzu-Han thinking it an obligation, just because no-one else could do it?"

Brigitta observed seriously, that it had been a very _selfish_ family, she thought.

_xdividerx_

Now that most of the women seemed so much more confident, Dot put a note on the notice-board. Who wanted to learn to drive a car? Valencio put his name down, and Tasha after a lot of urging. But it was only when Dot conferred with Carol, and it was made known that the teaching would be on their own property, that more names were added, a lot more names.

Michael did the job of making temporary roads that wound around three large paddocks, with intersections, and road signs that had to be observed. As always, Valencio kept well away from Michael, wondering that the women didn't seem to notice that he bore that same aura of power as that of Khatabi Fighters. More than Bellamy, for some reason, though Mariabella had witnessed Bellamy being very impressive indeed.

Valencio was the first to present himself for instruction, and the instructor, Dennis McKay, was amazed at his pure ignorance.

Valencio repeated for the third time, "Accelerator, brake, clutch."

Dennis snorted in disdain. "You must know that! It's like you've never even been in a car."

Valencio repeated, "Accelerator, brake, clutch." and kangaroo hopped along a new track in the first paddock. He was becoming very grim. This was a lot more difficult than he'd thought. But everyone could drive. It couldn't be all that difficult.

Dennis exploded, "There's five more to start on, Vince, after you. Are they all going to be as difficult?"

Valencio grinned at him, "Probably." He suggested, "How about you leave me with this car, and start on Tasha?"

Dennis growled, "Well, don't crash it!" and he left.

Valencio persevered. He could steer without trouble, just a matter of getting feet coordinated.

Two hours later, quite suddenly, he found he was driving more smoothly, and could speed up, grinning at his own achievement. Others were beginning to improve as well, and Dennis was looking a little more cheerful. The rumours had to be true. They were nearly all women except for Vince and a couple of others he noticed around, they were all beautiful, and none of them seemed to know much about cars.

_xdividerx_

By the time the first twenty were ready to take their test, Bellamy was away again, and not expected back until Christmas. There were eight small cars, plus one twenty-seater bus, available for the use of all of them. But they were accustomed to working together, and shared willingly.

They all had to have identity papers before they could expect a driver's license, and needed them in any case. It would be organised by the DMT - magical forgeries, but their own names and nationalities as much as possible. Some, like Valencio, had decided to change their names, and Emma, whether because she was taken so young, or because of the trauma of the time, could not supply a surname at all. Valencio offered to share his - she could be McDonald as well if she liked.

Emma said scathingly, "McDonald!"

Valencio grinned, "Vince McDonald, perfectly respectable name."

Emma nodded, and said to Dot, "I'll be Emma McDonald." Dot wrote it down.

"Nationality?"

"Canadian, I think," said Emma, uncertainly.

Dot made the note, and concealed her pity.

Valencio pulled Emma to him, and said, "Now you're my sister, you'll have to come driving with me."

Jimmy said, surprised, "I didn't know she was your sister!"

Valencio kissed Emma, and said, "She's been my sister for years and years, and now it can be official."

Emma smiled at him, "I'd like to be your sister."

_xdividerx_

Two weeks later, at dinner, there was the usual preliminary to a favourite entertainment. "Tell us about John Doe, Jimmy."

Jimmy said, "There's no-one called John here. I don't know anyone called John."

But this was standard, and they proceeded to remind him, "You used to call him the Martian, and you were a guard, and had to make sure he didn't get away."

"I had a fight with him," said Jimmy, suddenly remembering.

But he'd told them about that before, and Connie asked, "When did you see him for the very first time?"

"I was on the gate. I saw his guards first, three of them all around him, but not too close. He acted like he couldn't even see them. There were a couple of male nurses closer. And he was very, very thin, and wore jeans and a bright red shirt. He came along the fence line, and Les pointed him out. He was staggering, even though he had a walking stick, and he touched the fence now and then. It was hard for him to see, they said, and the first time he came to it, he just walked straight into it."

"What happened then, Jimmy?"

"He turned into a horse, and galloped away."

Clarence said patiently, "That's not right, Jimmy. People don't turn into horses."

"Sheila showed him her baby, and then he tried to run away, and Alec had to shoot him."

"There was a baby?"

"Sheila's baby. He wanted to hold it, and she let him. But then he gave it back, and walked straight out, fast, and climbed the fences, and Alec had to shoot him."

He stopped then, and they had to prompt him. "Why did Alec have to shoot him?"

"He was over the two high fences, over the electrified fence, the killing fence, and climbing the last fence. Alec said there was already blood all over him from the barbed wire, and then he had to shoot him, and then Alec got very drunk, because he was his friend."

It was a much more sad story than Jimmy had told the previous night, about John getting lost on an obstacle course relay, and handing his baton to the wrong man at the end.

Jimmy continued, "They were a lot more strict after that, and he always had at least two guards with him except when he was locked in his room, and no-one was supposed to speak about babies or children so he didn't get upset again."

Valencio looked in surprise at Jimmy. It seemed so odd. Like himself, whenever handled, always at least two guards, sometimes three. It didn't sound like John had been dangerous to any of the guards, though. But then, he probably would never have been dangerous, either, if only they'd let him alone.

They tried to keep him talking. "Did they lock him up?"

Jimmy's eyes wandered, and found Brigitta. He smiled, "You're very pretty."

All they needed was a word that might act like a trigger, and get him talking again. "You said John had blood all over him. Where was he shot?"

Jimmy played with the pepper pot in front of him.

Michael prompted, "He was shot in the legs, wasn't he?"

Jimmy nodded. "Both legs, very bad, so he had to be in a wheelchair. One day, he was in his wheelchair, and he came to watch us drill, and started teasing Sergeant Davies, so that Davies blew his top, and demanded that he be taken away. But his guards wouldn't, and we were all supposed to allow him as much freedom as possible, in case he might be very dangerous."

Michael chuckled, and looked at Dot. "Little did they know how dangerous he could be!"

There was a tense silence, and Michael looked down. He shouldn't have said that. They didn't like powerful wizards, but mostly, it seemed they didn't think of Bellamy like that.

But Jimmy went on, "He told Davies that left, right was not right, and that right always came first, and when Davies told him for God's sake, not to interrupt when he was working, he said that it wasn't work, it was tomfoolery contrived so that soldiers learned not to think for themselves."

"Might be right, too," commented Tiffany.

"What did Davies say?"

"We all thought Davies hated him, but then John collapsed one day while he was watching us, and Davies was terribly upset, and helped take him back to Ward 3. He liked him, I think, really."

They kept trying to prompt him, to try and have him tell them more, until he suddenly stood, and said that they should know he couldn't remember, and they should leave him alone now.

Clarence said, "Sorry, Jimmy," and Brigitta took his arm, and asked if he wanted to go to bed now. Jimmy forgot his anxiety at being questioned, and smiled at her eagerly. Bed with Brigitta was something special.

_xdividerx_

Nearly every night, they questioned Jimmy. Sometimes he'd claim he couldn't remember anything about any John, and sometimes he'd go into great detail, often about obscure incidents where John was only an onlooker. There was one night, "I don't know what upset him, but he was picking at his meal, and suddenly he went away quick, and I think he might have been crying inside. The personal guards didn't go close. Maybe they knew why he was upset. Sometimes they were close, like they were friends, and sometimes, they'd stay back. Not far away, but not so close."

Another time, "Sergeant Davies used to organise races for us sometimes, obstacle courses, part of our physical training. Except that Kryall said that it was really to amuse John, because he always wanted to play, too."

"Did they let him?"

"Always let him. It was a way of watching him. He told me once he was just a lab rat, but there was no point letting that stop him doing something he wanted to do."

Valencio commented, "It must have been horrible to be watched all the time."

Clarence asked Jimmy, "Was he really the only prisoner?"

"The only prisoner. They didn't know what he was, and they watched him all the time. With cameras. And when we talked with him, we were supposed to report on what he said. Except in the dining room. They always knew whatever we said in the dining room."

"Did he eat with the soldiers then?"

"Mostly. Except when he was sick. And not when Greenspan starved him." But it was weeks before they knew that the 'starving,' was because they'd decided to keep him under mild sedation, except that he somehow knew, and refused to touch the drugged food.

Valencio asked Susan as well. But Susan said she knew very little of his time as a prisoner, that he'd scarcely spoken of it.

"How did he get home then?"

"He just turned up, Christmas Eve, at dusk. He was very cold, half starved, and when Mum wandered outside, he spoke to her. He couldn't remember anything of us, and had been there since dawn, but didn't show himself until he saw Mum. And yet he didn't know her. Didn't know us."

"But he found his way back."

"He apparated from America, except he didn't know what apparation was, and he didn't know he had a home. He told me once he just so desperately wanted to go home, and he made the magic, and he was in a different place, even colder, and it was dawn, not the middle of the night. But he didn't know anyone, and didn't know what to do, so he just watched."

"So all day, he just watched, and no-one knew he was there."

Susan said, "I often wonder what would have happened if he hadn't seen Mum. It was very cold, and we don't think he'd had anything to eat for days. He might have just curled up in a corner somewhere, and died of starvation and cold."

"He must have loved her very much."

Susan smiled sadly. "She was very special. But she was killed in an accident, and he's been lonely ever since."

"Was she really Medj?"

Susan nodded. "We three girls are what purists call, derisively, half-bloods."

"The Khatabis called us dirt-people."

Susan continued, "Even after he came home, he was half blind, and he used to get very sick sometimes, but he gradually got better, and then one day, he was somehow able to undo the memory change spells, and he really got better then. He's fine now, health-wise. Just that he gets very lonely. He needs another wife, I think."

"Someone spoke about him a long time ago. He said he was very old, and still looked young."

"We girls. We think of him as young. Mary sometimes acts as if he's younger than she is, even though she's still at school."

"How old is he then?"

Susan answered briefly, "Pretty old," and then changed the subject.

Valencio wondered if maybe she didn't like to think about it.

_xchapter endx_


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. Bellamy was once Harry Potter, but that is a long time ago, and he is now 'The Great Wizard.'_

_Chapter 10__:_

By October, the women were all happier and more confident, although some would always be timid. Many of them contacted their families, and twenty year old Ingrid went to stay with her parents, 'For a week or two,' she said vaguely, and made sure to leave most of her possessions behind. Her name was still on her unit.

Thirty-three women had their driver's licenses, as well as both Valencio and Clarence, though all the cars had dents now, not just the orange one. Mariabella had taken on responsibility for the housekeeping, and prepared the rosters for the routine house-keeping jobs. Mariabella was one of the more confident ones, maybe helped by knowing the importance of her old role as Hicham's Favourite.

There were self-defence lessons, requested by Deirdre and Tiffany, who'd been subject to annoyance by three young men. There were sewing lessons, and several, including Tasha, were finding pleasure in designing their own clothing, though as yet, the sewing was distinctly unprofessional. The instructors always came to Loch Lomand, as there were still so many women who didn't want to leave the safety of 'home.'

Clarence and Bernice took official responsibility for the catering, including ordering in whatever required, which involved dealing with outsiders. They were both seeming more self-assured, though Bernice still had nightmares, far too often.

Svetlana, former head cook, now gave lessons in general knowledge, which were mostly just informal discussions that ranged very wide. There was one day that she mentioned the need for sexually active medj to have an annual REF injection, to prevent diseases spread by sex. A few remembered about them, although none had wondered why there was never anything like that with the Khatabis.

Carol asked Dot about it, and she said she'd never heard of anything like that, but that Anirage were very resistant to infections of all kinds. She came back later with the information, that yes, it was routine for sexually active medj to have an annual injection, so that no infections were transmitted. No-one did anything about it, though. The idea of sex with an outsider was daunting, and many declared they were quite happy never to have sex again.

Gloria, Tatiana and Adolfina called on Valencio in the next few days, saying they couldn't remember what it felt like. It was known that Clarence was unavailable since his marriage, Bernice very fierce about that, and Brigitta declared that Jimmy might be upset with sex with other women. Jimmy said, "No, I wouldn't," and Brigitta said firmly that he was getting better, and he should not risk it.

Valencio's whistling was much improved, and the women hardly ever covered their ears any more when they heard him. He was in charge of their fleet of vehicles, delegated the car washing, as he had plenty to do without that, was used as a chauffeur by the girls, though not by anyone else, and made friends with Bob, the local mechanic, who did the routine servicing, and occasional repair, while Valencio watched admiringly.

His rostered job these days was 'help generally,' and varied daily, though usually only taking up the mornings. He was very much enjoying freedom, but still wanted to leave. He didn't think it possible to be entirely comfortable when wizards were close.

Most of the women were riding competently, especially Eva, Lucy and the girls. Tiffany was a good rider, and mentioned that she'd had riding lessons from the age of twelve to the time she was taken. Tasha was keen, and there was a big thing coming - Susan, with the help of one of Bellamy's employees, Oliver Barnes, was to take several women and horses to compete at Bogridge gymkhana.

_xxdividerxx_

Again, Bellamy arrived unexpectedly, and this time, only the more timid of the women avoided him, plus Valencio. At dinner, Jimmy and Tasha both deserted Valencio to sit as close as they could get to Bellamy. Valencio couldn't even hear, though he found the unusual man as fascinating as everyone else did.

Tasha told him later that Bellamy had admitted that Jimmy's stories were true, "He said except those where he was making a fool of himself. Those ones aren't true." She smiled, "I like those stories best. It makes him seem human, even though he can do things no-one else can."

Valencio grinned, "Remember when Jimmy told us his guards were laughing at him for taking bread up into the trees for the baby birds, except that next thing they knew, he was nearly being let out the gate, wearing a stolen soldier's uniform, pockets filled with bread for provisions, while they guarded a bright red shirt left behind in his favourite tree."

Tasha said, "It seems strange that they could keep someone like that a prisoner."

"He couldn't see properly, Jimmy said, and he couldn't remember anything of who he was. And sometimes he was very sick."

Tasha giggled, "And then Jimmy says every time, when he comes to the end, that he turned himself into a horse, and galloped away!"

"He couldn't really do that, could he?"

"Brigitta asked, and he said no."

The ballroom was now a comfortable talking and gathering area, but the Anirage kept away unless specifically invited. This time, they were quite definitely invited. Valencio slipped away after a while, but Tasha found him, and told him he was being silly. "He's not going to chase you round the room or something! Why are you frightened of him?"

Valencio answered that he didn't like bloody wizards, even when everyone else fawned over him.

Tasha said impatiently, "He looks after us. He's a good man."

"It's just that there's something on TV that I want to see."

Tasha snorted, but it was partly true. It was an old movie now, but Valencio had never seen the completed version of the third film he'd been in, and when Tasha stopped grumbling at him, and went back to the party developing in the ballroom, Valencio watched what was billed as a 'cult movie,' understanding it a lot better at thirty-one than he had when he was twelve. Valencio thought he was a different person now, 'Vince,' who was perfectly capable of seeing again the child he'd been before...

He woke in the middle of the night, half sobbing. Luckily, Tasha didn't wake, and he slipped out of bed and went walking, as he'd done so often in the years before freedom. He told himself it was only the reminder, and he shouldn't have been so silly as to watch that movie. But he sat under a tree for a while, and this time, he did cry, very quietly, to himself. Once, he'd been clean. When he'd acted in that film, he'd still been clean.

Tasha said at breakfast, "He's going to come with us to the gymkhana. It's good, because I think a lot of us were worrying about it, but if he goes, it'll be alright."

Valencio said nothing, and she said firmly, "I still want you, so don't think of cancelling just because he might happen to see you."

Valencio said ruefully, "It's very silly being worried by him, I know. He's never acted as if he wants any one of us."

"So you'll still come?"

"Of course I'll come, and do whatever you want me to do."

Now, instead of only about eight women planning on going, and some of them wavering, more and more women put their names on the list, until Dot did some calculations, and arranged to hire a large bus and a driver. In the end, twelve horses were going, with fifteen of the women planning to ride, and nearly everyone wanting to go. Susan's horse, Candice, was to be used, as well as Dot and Michael's skewbalds. Very good horses, from Bellamy's horse stud, managed by his neighbour. But some of the ordinary ponies were to go, too. Tasha was keen, planning to ride, and with brand new riding gear, which she was thrilled with.

When the day came, while there was laughter and excited chatter, many were very nervous. They'd been free six months, but every one of them bore wounds from their time as slaves. It would take a lot longer for most of them to become confident in the outside world.

Their own small bus was driven by Svetlana, as few trusted the ones who'd so recently gained their driving licenses, not even Valencio, who was sure he drove like an expert. They arranged the three horse boxes, two buses and two cars in a circle, and Bellamy made it his base, becoming the anchor around which the women circulated. Michael was near the horse boxes as well, though Susan was close to the collecting ring, trying to calm last minute nerves.

Valencio chose to stay ringside with the large groups of women, away from Bellamy and away from Michael. He didn't mind Oliver Barnes, who worked for Bellamy. Oliver was not a wizard, though born to wizard parents. He said the term was Cam-Medj. He was tall, with sandy, almost blonde hair, and an air of self-confidence.

There was an early triumph. Inge was awarded a third - Best rider under sixteen. The other young girls were almost as thrilled as she was. Evita had also competed in that event. It was a significant achievement, whether or not there was a ribbon. They had participated in a public event.

Tiffany appeared, not long after, riding Storm. "I've entered the show jumping," she told them proudly, if nervously. "John says Storm's had experience show jumping."

She was watched with a great deal of interest, as Storm jumped a clear round, but then stopped instead of leaving the ring. Tiffany was obviously trying to urge him on, but he shook his head and stamped his foot, until Tiffany heard the shouted advice, and went through the nominated Finish. She avoided a disqualification - just. Storm was a clever little horse, and very experienced, on long-term loan as his owner was now too big for him. Tiffany was thrilled. She'd never before competed at a gymkhana.

There was a bigger surprise not long after, when Emma appeared, in riding clothes that must have been spare, as she hadn't been wearing them before, and on Ruby. She rode very close to Connie, on Bluejoe. Two of their most timid, and they wound up with fifth and sixth, and received rosettes each. There were only seven in the class. It was well known in Bogridge that there were beautiful women, 'refugees' from no-one knew quite what. The organisers of the little gymkhana were doing their bit to make them happy, with extra rosettes for minor placings, normally not even acknowledged.

Valencio was on the alert, and went to Tasha the moment she appeared. Tasha, Lucy, Eva and Deirdre were all to compete in a show event on four of the bigger horses. He told them how beautiful they all looked, and stroked the skewbald ridden by Tasha. Connor snorted and bent his head to the man he liked nearly as much as he liked the Boss. They were all good horses these, but the riding was erratic, and the women hesitant, looking to others to show them what to do. But Tasha was awarded a third, and each of the other three had ribbons as well, for more minor places.

Best rider classes, but most of the women rode badly, with nerves as much as inexperience. Just sometimes, there was a touch of favouritism, especially from one of the male judges, who stared at Eva in open admiration, to the displeasure of his wife. More women were awarded rosettes, and were thrilled with them, whether it was a deserved first or second, or a fifth or sixth, given to them because the stewards thought they were beautiful, but wounded.

A reporter and photographer tried to approach the large groups of women, who still shied off from strangers. Valencio obstructed them, saying politely, that it was not possible for them to talk to the women. They were persistent, and some of the women were beginning to be thoroughly upset. Clarence joined Valencio, though Jimmy, also standing close, only looked puzzled.

The men finally retreated, only handing over a card, "In case any decide they're willing to talk to us, after all."

Bernice whispered to Valencio, and he nodded and escorted her back to Bellamy, an arm around her shoulders until she stopped shaking and said he was to go back now, and help look after the others. Bellamy smiled at her, and she started speaking to the horses. He took no notice of Valencio, to his relief.

Bellamy was fully aware that the young man distrusted him, though it had never occurred to him to think that he might fear being put back into use.

The only real mishap came late in the day, when it began to be chilly, and one of the judges tossed on the cape that he often wore. Capes were not exclusive to wizards. The show jumping event that Tiffany had been in was finished, and the first three lined up to receive their awards. Tiffany was ecstatic with her second place - until Cramsie McGonnigal, wearing his cape, tried to give it to her. Tiffany stared in terror, and Storm backed away, and quite suddenly she fled, to the astonishment of the judge. Oliver smoothed it over, said just that Tiffany was a little nervous sometimes, and he'd hand over the prize himself, later.

Cramsie McGonnigal was upset with himself. He didn't know what he'd done, but he'd frightened one of the shy mystery women.

Tiffany sobbed in the arms of Hilde, back in the perceived safety between the buses and horse boxes, where Bellamy was. It seemed to be a setback, especially as Tiffany was one of the most confident of the women.

Inge and Evita were having the time of their lives, entered everything they could, and were talking to three other teenagers, including a boy, who told them what each event was about before they attempted it. Gus had never done this job before, but Mosquito had, and Evita wound up with a blue ribbon, to her thrilled pleasure, beaming at the horse-faced woman who pinned the rosette to Mosquito's bridle.

"Well done," the woman said, and wondered if the stories were true. It was just a young teenager!

Brigitta announced that she was going to go in the next gymkhana, too, and they'd all have to practise.

The end of the day. Bellamy boarded the big bus for the trip home, along with scores of laughing, chattering women, and three men. Tiffany was over her fright, which she scarcely understood herself. Just because he'd worn a cape!

Emma was thrilled because she'd been given a ribbon, and Mary was thrilled because her darling Ruby had been given a ribbon.

"Bluejoe, too," said Belinda. Belinda had become very fond of Bluejoe.

The girls were frankly noisy, boasting of their triumphs, and chattering about the others they'd met, boys and girls of their own age.

Valencio, too, felt good. He was pleased for Tasha, who had three ribbons to her credit, and also he felt as if he'd been able to act as a protector for the women. It was what a real man might do - act to protect his women. He'd never been able to protect any of the women, though he'd wanted desperately to protect them. Instead, it was the women who'd looked after him, protecting him as best they could. He owed his life to Tasha, and knew it perfectly well. To Emma, too, who'd made him eat, when he would have preferred to lie down and die. If he'd died then, he would not have been happy in his freedom now. He shrugged. If he'd died then, he guessed he never would have regretted it! One doesn't, if one is dead.

As the bus left the show ground, Deirdre stood up, and said that she remembered a song they always sung when returning from school excursions. "Ten Green Bottles," she announced, and the driver groaned. The amazingly stupid song was loudly sung, almost chanted, with tremendous enthusiasm. The former slaves were enjoying their freedom.

Ingrid was waiting for them when they arrived back. The brief return to the home of her parents had not been a success.

_xxdividerxx_

In the next couple of months, several more of the women arranged meetings with their parents, or other family. They tended to return to Loch Lomand unhappy, relieved to be back. All three of the young girls met their parents, and said they'd keep in contact, but were not children any more, and could not go home. Inge's parents threatened legal proceedings as their daughter was under age, but the DMT was perfectly capable of dealing with that potential problem, and without ill feeling.

Relatives had a postal address, but would not be able to find them. Magic helped. Loch Lomand was to remain a secret from reporters, from police, and from relatives. It was best that way. It had to remain the safe haven that was needed.

Meantime, Valencio still whistled as he mopped, or dug gardens, or helped Therese or Katrina as they continued to improve the facilities within the castle. He worked easily with the Ania, but liked it better when Bellamy wasn't around, and he still kept clear of Michael. He was becoming more familiar with the area around, was brave enough to drive all the way to Edinburgh one day, and was taken to the Bogridge pub by Joe Corbett and introduced to a couple of the older farmers about. They were friendly, concealed their intense curiosity, and accepted him as Vince McDonald, without showing any signs of suspicion that it was not his real name.

He continued to help saddle horses for Susan's rides, knowing each horse, but without any inclination to ride. Tasha practised every day, wanted to go to another gymkhana as soon as possible, and would discuss the personality and capabilities of her favourite horses endlessly, if given the chance.

A cat strolled into their cottage one day, sniffed around, and chose a cushion to sleep on. No-one admitted to owning the female cat, whom Tasha called, unimaginatively, 'Ginger,' for its colour.

For a month, Valencio was the only one with the confidence to drive himself off the property, but suddenly, the cars were in demand, as others took the plunge, though mostly only driving the quiet ten miles to Bogridge.

A couple of times, Valencio went into a pub in Duich, which was a lot bigger than Bogridge, sat quietly in the corner, and just watched the men as they gathered and talked among themselves. Ordinary men. He didn't know men. None of them looked at him with desire, and he wasn't approached.

The bartender looked at him with curiosity, wondered whether to ask whether he wanted a drink, and in the end, he, too, left him alone. He didn't look quite real - too good-looking, too foreign. Duich was far enough away that the 'refugees' were not a topic of conversation and curiosity. They just thought he was a tourist.

Jimmy was no longer always with him. No-one needed to worry about Jimmy any more, who appeared almost recovered finally, though no-one suggested he might drive. Every now and then, he did still become confused. He no longer told stories about John Doe, explaining to Valencio that he didn't think that John liked it much.

_xxdividerxx_

The cold weather came. Grey days, when it drizzled rain. Days when bitingly cold winds blew. Dot provided warm coats, warm boots, thick socks, but for those who'd spent years in the heat of Morocco, it was a novelty. They enjoyed it, the cold and wet linked in their minds to the feeling of freedom.

Dot raised the temperature in the dining room, as so many of the women were appearing for dinner draped in gorgeous and exotic clothing of their own design. They didn't seem inclined to practical, warm clothing. She crossed her fingers they wouldn't get sick, but first Inge appeared coughing and sneezing, then the other girls, and before long it was nearly all of them affected. None had ever had coughs and colds in Morocco, far away from places where infections spread. There were not even any potions available, as Anirage never needed cures for colds.

Instead, Dot filled the First Aid room with medj remedies, none of which seemed to have any effect at all. Six weeks of almost non-stop illness, and one after another, they announced themselves better.

Gloria suddenly decided to start riding, learned quickly, and adored galloping as fast as possible, defying the cold and the wet.

Valencio kept up his acquaintance with Joe Corbett, and enjoyed helping around the farm, hand-feeding the sheep when the grass stopped growing, listening to Joe argue with himself about the best time to plant a crop, and even shovelling manure for the garden. He was getting dirty, and when he found himself stinking with sheep manure, he was only pleased. This sort of dirtiness was so clean. Joe probably wouldn't talk to him if he knew what he'd been.

One of Joe's friends offered him two weeks work, preparing a vegetable garden. He consulted with Carol, and accepted with pleasure. He was dirty, and he was paid. It was wonderful. Better than being clean, even hairless, and paid with a present at an average rate of maybe one a year. The time went by quickly.

Joe and Anne Corbett had a very good idea what he'd been. They knew now that all but three of the refugees were women, and they'd seen Clarence, who was also a very handsome man, very blonde, with fine, sensitive features, graceful build, and with less firmness of expression than Valencio. They spoke about the wickedness of the world, sighed over what the refugees had probably suffered, and asked Valencio and Tasha to dinner, adding one of their daughters and her lively boyfriend in case their guests were awkward.

But while both Tasha and Valencio were a little quiet, the evening was successful, the extra two guests making them laugh with stories of university life and its complications.

_xxdividerxx_

Others were socialising as well. The young girls were seeing quite a lot of some of the young people around, often using the horses as transport, and sometimes Valencio, and Tiffany was riding regularly with Cramsie McGonnigal, the judge at the horse show. He was smitten, but was being very careful. He didn't know Tiffany's past, but knew if he was to win this young woman, he could not be impatient.

After consultation with the Committee, a new building was erected adjacent to the main gate. They grandly referred to it as 'The Entry Lodge,' and visitors were to report to that area, and be met there. There were still far too many of the women very nervous of those they didn't know.

Heavy snow fell, and continued to fall. There was a new amusement, started by the girls, snowmen, just a few to start with, but then more and more, lining the road. "We'll grow up one day," announced Helene, "But too many of us had our childhood cut short. We'll be children again, and make snowmen."

Valencio and Jimmy were put to work by the women, doing the heavy work of making bodies, before the artistic finishes were added. When Bellamy appeared again, the road from the gate to the castle was lined with snowmen, none of them melted, as the weather seemed to have settled down to very cold and snowy.

Valencio didn't know Bellamy was back for a while, as he was working with Therese, who was having him hold shelves, while she decided where she wanted them, and then used magic rather than nails, to fix them into place. The library now had space for thousands more books, but Therese admitted that money was limited.

"Not to worry, of course - enough to support you all your lives if needed. It's called the Loch Lomand Trust, just that there's not enough money sometimes for luxuries, and there were all those warm clothes needed just recently."

Valencio said, "There's not many likely to stay all their lives, just the older ones, maybe. How can Kaede start a new career, for instance?"

He held up another shelf, and Therese said, "Down a little. We'll make this one for taller books."

"I used to read books about cars, because it seemed so far away from where we were. I know by heart how to strip a carburettor of a car twenty years old, for instance - but it didn't help me learn to drive."

Shirley entered and exclaimed, "Here you are, Vince. I was looking for you. John's here, and we're playing with toboggans."

Valencio laughed, and said, "Just once. Just once have I had a chance to play with a toboggan."

Therese smiled, "You'd best go play then."

Valencio hesitated, and Therese said, "We can do these any time. You're not needed."

Outside, twenty brightly coloured toboggans were whizzing down a slope, women and girls squealing, and Bellamy whooping. Valencio laughed in surprised pleasure. Yiko would never be seen doing anything as undignified as whooping, just because he was going fast. When Helene decreed it was time to give someone else a turn, Valencio was one of those who claimed a toboggan which had just climbed the slope, apparently all by itself. He played, as he hadn't played since he was twelve, laughing, totally carefree, not shying off from the great wizard, who seemed so harmless suddenly. He even persuaded Emma into a toboggan, when Bellamy agreed to make a special double one, to take them both.

Bellamy was genial, but watched the toboggans, and took care to take little notice of either Emma or Valencio.

When his turn ended, Valencio stood in the group with Bellamy, and watched as new ones took their turn. Bellamy said, "More toboggans, do you think? Or would it be too crowded, too dangerous?"

Valencio answered easily, "I think that slope's at maximum capacity already, and there's no other suitable slope without fences or trees."

Bellamy suddenly turned and stared at the App. Box shed. Valencio followed his gaze, and noticed his yearning expression. If it was the App. Box, it had to be Zhor or Najia, or both. Apparators always went to the other App. Zone now. Bellamy turned back to him, smiling brightly. "Cold weather's good for something - making snowmen, tobogganing..."

So if they'd been there, they'd gone without stopping. Valencio asked, as if he hadn't noticed anything, "Ever been skiing, John?"

Bellamy shook his head, "Never tried that."

Mary stared at the toboggans, and finally said, "Vince, will you go with me?"

Valencio smiled at the grey-headed woman, "In Emma's double-seater?"

Mary hesitated, and said, "Maybe not."

He coaxed, "It's a very pretty colour..."

A few minutes later, very frightened, Mary put herself in the toboggan, Valencio sat behind her, put a firm arm around her waist, his long legs outside hers, and Bellamy made it climb the slope with his magic.

Mary shut her eyes when they started down, but then opened them, and screamed in fright and joy. They were whizzing down, and Valencio had her safe. She got out afterwards, laughing her pleasure and triumph, but shook her head firmly when Valencio suggested another go. She might be getting more brave, but she wasn't silly, and once was enough!

_xchapter endx_


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 11:_

Christmas day at Loch Lomand. In the ballroom was an enormous Christmas tree, erected by Michael, who seldom hesitated any more to use magic when it was needed, whether or not medj were present. It was a very different Christmas for the medj. In the enclosures, personal possessions had been very limited, and exchanging gifts was difficult. Sketches, by those sufficiently talented, was about the limit.

The gift situation was different this time. Friends exchanged small personal gifts, Clarence gave Bernice a wedding ring, purchased new, and there were also eighty-two individually wrapped gifts from Bellamy. Eighty-two different books, and indications of some thought as to the individuals.

Valencio flipped through his book. About cars. He laughed. Those last six months or so in Enclosure 1, they kept getting more and more books about cars. Narzu-Han had thought he liked them. _Was_ he interested in cars? He wasn't quite sure. Should he write a note of thanks for a book he probably wouldn't read? Or should he write a note of thanks for giving him his freedom? Should he have some trust, maybe stop avoiding him? He remembered Zeeko, and shook his head. You could never trust a wizard. He put the book in the library, though he did write a note to thank him. For the book and for his freedom. If he wrote a note, he would not have to thank him in person.

Dot and Michael, with their young son, were not present. They were at their own home, a house on Bellamy's home property, where young Robin had a young friend of his own age, the son of another of Bellamy's staff, rather than dozens of doting 'Aunties.' There was no need any more for someone to be at Loch Lomand all the time, though they could ring for instant help if it was needed.

Extra boxes of books appeared in the locked room set aside for items sent by magic. Kaede had taken over the library, and took pleasure in arranging the books on the new shelves. There were light fiction books, thrillers, biographies, and non-fiction books, including a couple about looking after horses. They had carefully chosen gifts for those who'd worked for them, as well - for Therese, Katrina, Susan, Michael, and especially Dot, who'd tolerated so much from them, and had never quite lost her temper, though it had been very close at times.

Clarence and Bernice had more helpers than usual for Christmas dinner that day, and made a thorough mess of it anyway. The former slaves ate and drank with good cheer. What was a poor meal when they had freedom? The previous year, those in Enclosure 2 had counted themselves lucky just to be still alive, and those in Enclosure 1 had been working, just the same as usual. Bernice and Clarence were told what a marvellous job they did, always.

Tiffany and Helene were not there for Christmas dinner. Tiffany had been asked to join the family of Cramsie McGonnigal. She called him Cam, and had finally agreed when he extended the invitation to include one of her friends. They used the orange car, with the big dent in the front, made by Bellamy, the great wizard, who had somehow made the transition in the women's minds, to become their John, who was good luck. Even the orange car was beginning to be viewed as good luck.

The women wanted Bellamy to be with them for their New Year's Eve Party. It would be a new year, the start of their first full year of freedom, and it was because of John. He was doubtful when asked at first, thinking they'd prefer to be by themselves. They insisted, and he joined them, appearing from App. Zone 1 at the time he'd been told.

Valencio was resigned. There were over eighty of them, after all. And there was no way that Tasha would allow him to avoid the party. She was one who'd help decorate the ballroom, and had even lit the fire, which several cats and five dogs now lay sprawled around, even though magic kept the whole room comfortably warm. The fire would burn all night, and not need more logs. It was a basic housekeeping spell, the last thing that Dot had done before she went home. She and Michael were going to a different party.

John Bellamy was feeling very lonely that night. His two older daughters, both Susan and Lesley, had startled him on Christmas day by announcing they were marrying that very afternoon. Everything had been arranged without any reference to him, and now they no longer lived at home. His wife, Pat, was dead, over a year and a half now. He was very old, but had only rarely in his life, been drunk.

He appeared perfectly cheerful for hours, speaking sensibly with Tiffany about show jumping, with Tasha about her favourite fabric shop in Duich, that she thought was getting to know her, and he sighed with Dot that a swimming pool was out of the question. He listened to Belinda on the piano, told Tasha about his mare, who was the mother of her favourite horse, and listened to Mary, who told him in a hushed voice, how sweet and lovely the black mare, Ruby. His drinking became less moderate.

By the early hours of the morning, he sat on the floor, his back to the wall, and stared mournfully into space. It was a special night for the medj, and their freedom was so closely connected with Bellamy, from the moment they first saw him, when he looked so ordinary. He was a symbol of their freedom. Most made sure to speak to him, though some had only come close and touched, as if for luck. Emma sat on the floor next to him for ten minutes, even in contact, but he only saw that he was alone, and maybe he'd always be alone. A Freak who didn't get old. Some called him Monster, or referred to him as a mutation. Pat was dead, and no ordinary woman would have him, and Zhor and Najia had sent him away, after spending several nights, very contentedly, sleeping one on each shoulder. The great wizard, their John, was very, very lonely.

It was very late, and Carol and Eva approached Jimmy and Valencio, who were deep in conversation. Carol was smiling slightly as she asked that they put John to bed because he'd had too much to drink.

Eva giggled, "Drunk as a skunk, in fact. I asked if he'd like to go to bed with me, and he got all upset. Said it was outlandish, because we had to be looked after, not bedded. And then he got even more upset because he thought he'd been rude."

Valencio said, "He refused you?"

Eva said, "I've heard _you_ never refuse an invitation, but he said it wouldn't be right."

Jimmy grinned, "Come on, Vince. Let's put the great wizard to bed."

They had to pull Bellamy to his feet, and urge him in the direction of the bedroom they always allotted to him. He was quite unable to walk by himself, and when they sat him on the edge of the bed, he only sat there, dazed.

Jimmy said, "Come on, John. You've got to undress."

Bellamy muttered, "Undress," and made no move to do so.

Jimmy grinned at him, and started undressing him, helped, after a moment, by Valencio. It was not something he'd ever done before - undress a man. He laughed suddenly, and Jimmy looked questioning, but Valencio only shook his head.

When Bellamy was stripped to underpants, he just stood, swaying a touch, supported by Valencio, waiting to be told what to do. As well as the scars on his face, there was a long scar down his back, another, fainter, next to it, wicked scarring on the front of his legs, and three horizontal, parallel scars on his right side.

Valencio touched those scars, knowing immediately that they were from a whipping. Abensur had had scars like that, though Valencio didn't. When Adil had had a fancy to take him with bloodied stripes crossing his back and bottom, he'd been healed straight after, and there were no scars. Every night for a week, the floggings becoming progressively more severe. And then suddenly he'd been treated to a few weeks when he'd scarcely been hurt. He shook his head - it was a long time ago. He said, "Lie down now, John. Go to sleep. You'll be better in the morning."

Bellamy obediently lay down, looked at them very sadly, and said, "Pat's gone."

He turned over on his side, and closed his eyes. Valencio covered him with the blankets.

Valencio was very quiet afterwards. Jimmy sat with him, in undemanding silence. Valencio asked, "How old is he, do you know?"

"We were told probably about twenty-four when he was a prisoner, but that was obviously very wrong. He has to be a lot older."

"Someone told me about him many years ago. He said that he was very old, and still looked young."

"He really can be trusted, you know. No matter what's happened to you in the past, John will never do anything to hurt you."

Valencio said slowly, "I guess he wouldn't."

The party had gone late, and there were few takers for breakfast, though Bellamy was there, looking perfectly cheerful and perfectly healthy. Valencio sat next to him, and said, "Tell me about Pat."

Bellamy looked at him, surprised, and then looked into the distance, and smiled reminiscently. "When I met her, she was self-conscious. She thought she was far too tall, and far too plain. Medj didn't appreciate her, and she didn't understand herself how extraordinary she was. She had a brilliant intellect, she had a great understanding, and when she understood that I was often in danger because of who I am, she learned to fire a handgun, as well as a rifle."

"Why are you often in danger?"

"I'm seen as a threat sometimes, because I can do things other people can't. And at the time we married, there was an enormous reward payable to the one responsible for my death. The reward's gone now, but people still try and kill me now and again. I think it's a hobby that comes into fashion now and then."

"Was Pat happy married to you?"

"We were very happy together. And to Anirage , physical appearance is less important, I think. She was very greatly respected."

"And she died."

Bellamy nodded. "A pure accident. Not the work of enemies, just an accident. And then she was gone." His voice was steady, and yet held an infinite sadness.

Inge and Evita plumped themselves in chairs close, and looked at Valencio in surprise, Inge saying, with a complete lack of tact, "I thought you didn't like bloody wizards, Valencio, even John."

Valencio rose, saying he had to help clean up. John had been married to a medj woman, and had very much respected her. Maybe it was why he didn't seem to look down on them. Michael and Dot and the others tried to look after them, but viewed them as inferiors, he thought. It was subtle, and he didn't think anyone else had even noticed. It was certainly not like the Khatabis, who scathingly referred to them as dirt-people. But it was there.

_xxdividerxx_

By dinner time, Bellamy was long gone, and dinner was efficiently served by the six rostered women, while Clarence and Bernice, satisfied with its preparation, took their seats. Dot and Michael were with them, and four-year-old Robin. When desserts were finally finished, Michael rose, and waved his wand, causing uneaten food to vanish, and plates and cutlery to be clean and stacked, though they would be washed with water before they were put away for the next time.

Jimmy Rawlings stood a moment, and said, "Will I tell you a story about John Doe?"

Valencio stared at him in surprise. Jimmy had declined to tell any stories about John Doe for months. There was something behind this, and he waited to see what it was. Others didn't share his suspicions, and merely listened with anticipation.

Jimmy started, "I think they tried to make him go to the weekly church service. I always went, as I used to be a bit religious, and besides, if you were in church, an officer wouldn't come along and make you do something. I didn't know him at all at the time, but he was fascinating to us, you know? He was the reason we were all there. He was 'the subject,' and at that time, we mostly called him 'The Martian.' We were told he was a mystery, he'd been very sick, and couldn't remember his life before, but he'd shown something, except that they never told us what. They told us he might have unusual abilities, he might have telepathy, but he still only looked too thin and not very strong.

Anyway, one of his guards came in with him, and another stood by the door. Everyone was staring at him, and we saw him feeling around a bit before he sat, as if he couldn't see the chair. But then the father started talking, and we had to pay attention. But I was across the aisle, and a bit behind him, and could see him. He listened, I think, for only about five minutes, and then started looking around and looking bored.

"And then a cat strolled in, ignored everyone else, went straight to him and jumped up on his lap. He smiled, and started stroking it, and it started purring, loudly. The father looked at him, very pointedly, and after a minute, the guard scooped up the cat, put it out and closed the door. So he heaved a big sigh, and stared at the ceiling again. He was fidgeting like a little kid after a while, and when it finished, he walked out very fast..."

Jimmy paused, and said, "And then?"

There was a chorus. "And then he turned into a horse and galloped away."

Jimmy grinned. "Another?"

It had not been a dramatic or particularly funny story, but they liked these stories when the man they knew was referred to as 'the great wizard,' seemed so ordinary, so human.

"Not long after he did that stupid thing, and got himself shot, we heard that the Colonel asked him what he wanted to make him contented in his imprisonment, and what he said was that he wanted female guards around him, because he couldn't go to bed with Zack or Rudy or Lance. They were not satisfactory."

There was laughter, and Jimmy grinned.

"Anyway, his legs got better quickly and he was walking again. There was a change, and he had to eat his meals in his room, instead of in the staff dining room, with us. It was just after Christmas, and we were getting ready to go on a route march. He was always very interested when we did this, and we had to remember not to tell him where we were going. It was like he was just fascinated with the thought of going outside the gates, when he thought he'd only ever been in the Compound.

"He started talking to Sergeant Davies. I wasn't far away, and heard him say he was on a hunger strike, as he wanted female soldiers around him. Davies handed him an army ration bar, high protein, lousy flavour - and he devoured it. But then his guard came hurrying back, angry, and grabbed his arm. He didn't do anything, just stood, but then his guard snapped at him to go and join the men, us, and went and talked to Davies, and we gave him more food bars, because he said he didn't like the food he was getting."

Jimmy paused, and said, "And then?"

A few voices spoke, but questioningly, "And then he turned into a horse and galloped away."

Jimmy said, "If you want to hear what really happened, especially in the last few months, I'll be in the ballroom after dinner."

Valencio glanced at Tasha, who looked back at him, puzzled. Those rostered on clean-up duty started collecting plates, but Dot rose, and said that she and Michael would do it that night. Carol thanked her, and said loudly that the people on duty could just organise coffee in the ballroom instead, if they would. So while Dot and Michael made short work of the clearing away and washing of dishes, so much quicker with magic, they set themselves where they could see and hear Jimmy. It was apparent that this was to be more than one of the quick John Doe stories that had become more clear and more detailed, until, quite suddenly, Jimmy had refused to tell them any more.

Jimmy spoke quietly, but there was silence, and they could all hear.

"When he said he was on a hunger strike, it was sort of true. Nothing to do with female guards. But starting breakfast the day before Christmas, all the food he was offered was drugged. All he had to eat or drink in the days before Sergeant Davies gave him a food bar, was water out of the tap, because he refused to touch the drugged food, even though there was no way he should have been able to tell it was drugged. After the day we gave him the food bars, we didn't see him for days. They said he was sick, but we heard it was just that he was locked up, and still wouldn't eat."

"They starved him?"

"He could have obediently eaten what he was given, and been kept safely tranquillised. The Colonel was away, and Greenspan was in charge, but someone told the Colonel, and he came back early, and we heard he nearly _killed_ Greenspan he was so mad. Greenspan was gone the day after, and when John came in to lunch, we gave him a cheer because he'd won. He was really thin and weak again, like he was when he'd been sick. They said he might have died soon, if it had gone on much longer, but I don't know about that. It was only about eight days. He turned bright red when we cheered him. I think he never expected that we could be on his side.

"That was his Christmas and New Year. He got stronger again quickly after he started eating again. Every now and then we were given instructions. They wanted us to talk to him, and report on what he said, but I think they were worried we'd like him too much, and not kill him if we caught him trying to escape. They told us all the time. He must _not_ be allowed to escape. We had to shoot him dead rather than allow him past the perimeter.

"There were two more high fences put up around the whole area of army land, and another electrified fence between, that would kill anyone touching it. More soldiers, whom they called Force B, and we were not supposed to talk to them. It was so they wouldn't get to know John, and would be quicker to shoot him if they needed to. At that time, he hadn't seriously tried to escape."

"Just that time after holding the baby?"

Jimmy nodded. "Just that time, and that was because he was upset and acted stupidly. He didn't even hesitate when he came to the electrified fence that would have killed him. It was switched off a bare instant before he touched it. No-one knew whether he forgot or didn't care.

"He was very sick again, for several weeks, and then he was out and about again, using a cane for a while, as he used to stagger when he was so weak. He started getting better, but he was still far too thin, and not very strong when he made his first serious escape attempt."

There was a rapt silence.

"It was the middle of the night, and the alarms started screaming. Everyone had to get up, and start searching. There was a lot of activity a long way from the Compound, quite close to the external fences. And then we were told to stand down, as the subject was back in custody. I caught a glimpse of him being driven back in a jeep, black with mud. The thing is no-one could work out how he'd done it, and he'd nearly got clean away."

He had to have used magic, Valencio concluded. He'd been badly damaged, but needed to get away, and he had to re-learn magic. You had to use all the weapons you could muster when escape was needed. Not that trying to learn magic had helped him. For the first time, he seriously wondered what they would have done to him, if he had managed to work magic those times he'd stolen a wand. They wouldn't have just let him go, that was for sure.

"The next time he tried to escape, he tricked his guards, stole a uniform, and was about to be let out the second gate before the siren sounded. And again, they had no idea how he'd done it. It should not have been possible. Somehow, they knew exactly where he was, and even then he wasn't noticed at first, as if he was just another soldier. He deserved to have escaped. But they took him back to Ward 3, and said he was very sick again, and that lasted weeks, too.

"While he was still sick, all the guards were told how they knew where he was, but we were absolutely not allowed to tell him. Each time we reported for duty, we were issued what they called RABs, and we could look at the device, about the size of a large pocket calculator, and see exactly where he was on a map of the compound. The scale could be changed to show the whole larger area, even further, or narrowed down, very precisely. It didn't seem fair, but there was no way he could trick his guards into not seeing him slip away when they had that. They said he had location devices in his clothes, and didn't know. On the gate, we were supposed to check it frequently, and keep a very close watch if he came anywhere near.

"When the illness was over, he was terribly thin again, and weak. When he got sick like that, it was always very severe, and that time, the rumours were that he was going to die, but he got better, like he always did."

No-one asked questions. It was a saga, and they were deeply interested.

"He liked to climb trees. Most people thought it was just because he was strange, but I asked him one day, and he said it was mostly because he had just a little bit of privacy. Did I tell you there were cameras everywhere? There were cameras _everywhere,_ and he was hardly ever out of sight, but maybe sometimes in the treetops. He was too weak at first to climb trees, but it must have been when he did, that he discovered that he was marked, but I don't think it was in his clothes. I think they did something, and it was in his body. I saw him at dinner, like always, but he had his elbow on the table, and was only picking at his food. I started to go over to him, and see what was the matter, but one of his guards stopped me. He was to be left alone.

"He was always locked up straight after dinner. But that night, when he was supposed to be escorted back to his room, he just stood there, staring away over the Compound, and trembling, like he does sometimes. You know how he always says it means nothing, except that sometimes, it does. They didn't want him fighting, and stood close around, not knowing what to do, I think.

"But then we were told to go away, and we had to, so I didn't see what happened. Maybe they used a stun gun or something. I didn't talk to him much for a while, after that, and he started having meals back in his room. Then there were new instructions. He might be suicidal, and we were to take great care that he could not get to firearms. His close guards no longer wore handguns, but now there were more, always several yards away, minimum, and they had handguns. We reckoned that maybe he'd tried to grab one, but no-one said."

Valencio wondered if he'd really been suicidal. The women had thought him weak when he tried to kill himself, but he still thought it a logical reaction when life became unendurable. But John was only a prisoner, lonely maybe, but not badly treated.

"He didn't try and get away again for a while. Maybe he just didn't know how. Maybe it was impossible for him, even though he'd nearly escaped twice when it should have been already impossible. He was collapsing a lot, nearly every day for a while, but then it slackened off to maybe every three days, and only a few hours each time, but never predictable. They still let him climb trees, and use equipment that could have been very dangerous if he collapsed while he was on a tower or something."

Brigitta asked, "What do you mean when you say he collapsed?"

"I saw it a few times. He'd feel a warning, and sometimes take a few steps, as if he wanted to hide, or run. But then he'd fall down, crying out, and throwing himself about, in terrible pain."

"Like the Spell of Pain?"

"Maybe not as bad, as after a few minutes, he'd be quiet and still, but if he was disturbed, then he would start to fit. They tried to leave him alone if possible, until he went into unconsciousness, but that took hours sometimes. It happened a lot around then, and some of us started to think they knew when it was going to happen, because one time, he was about to compete in an Obstacle Course with us, and the Sergeant got a message, and announced that a general was to make a visit and we had to practice our Drill instead, as it was atrocious. John was as surprised as the rest of us, I guess, but once we were lined up, he started to wander away, disappointed, and then he collapsed. There was no general, and we reckoned that maybe there was something more, like the RAB, something John didn't know about."

He was beginning to get hoarse, and Brigitta rose quietly, and brought him back a glass of water. Even in the pause, no-one else spoke. The great wizard, but he'd been just a man, and a prisoner, desperate for freedom. Maybe he wasn't really so very, very different, and Valencio remembered those scars on his legs. He'd been stupid, and been shot. It was maybe why he understood them so well, stayed quite still when one of the timid ones came close, and extended a hand just to touch his back, because he was good luck, they'd say, if queried. He took care not to frighten them.

Valencio remembered him appearing almost to ignore him, even when he came close, and understood that Bellamy tried not to frighten him, as well. They'd been free eight months, and Bellamy had shown no inclination to hurt or rape. He should trust him more. But he shivered. He was a wizard, and wizards did just exactly what they wanted. And with Bellamy, even breaking his wand would have no effect. He was unique. The great wizard didn't need a wand. He could do what he wanted. When would Tasha agree to leave?

Jimmy took a few sips of water, and continued his story. "He got sick again, for nearly two weeks. And this time we knew for sure. They did something to him. He was just talking to Rossi, who looked after our pays, and they came for him, three guards, the Colonel and the doctor. Rossi was sent away, but watched from a distance, and saw him about fifteen minutes later, when he was taken back to Ward 3, unconscious on a stretcher. Maybe he'd fitted, Rossi said, as there was a bit of blood on his mouth, or maybe they hit him, but when he tried to ask, he was sent away with a threat that charges would be laid if he wasn't careful. No-one knew what they were doing to John, but the official story was that he was sick, in a coma, as happened sometimes.

"When we saw him again, he was thin and weak, like always after he was ill. But it was only a few weeks before he tried again. There was a blackout in the middle of the night, and also the RABs stopped working, and the cameras. We were out searching, most of the night, all the next day, and most of the next night. They had us in crocodile lines, walking so close we could stretch out a hand and touch the next person. They seemed to think we had to actually fall over him before we'd see him, as if he could make himself invisible. We were sure he'd escaped, though no-one had the faintest idea how. Everything was working again, except the RABs.

"The following morning, almost the moment I got up, I heard they had him again. They'd found him covered in mud, and hiding in a muddy hole right up close to the road. So nearly, he got away. But he was very, very sick again, and that's why he didn't make it.

"He wasn't talking as much to us any more, and there were more pep-talks. They told us he was desperate to escape, and we had to be constantly alert. Double and _triple-_check ID, and _look_ at the man, so that John couldn't somehow fool us that he was some-one else.

"There was something again, a blackout while we were at dinner, but his own guards had the torches shining very quickly, and he was only standing beside a wall, except that a moment before he'd been eating his meal, talking to me and Kyle about baseball, as if he didn't have a care in the world. His guards were very suspicious, and one threatened to handcuff him to a chair, and another had his baton out, and in his hand. He asked if they minded if he finished his dinner."

There were a few quiet chuckles.

"Another, in the afternoon. Somehow he disappeared from behind a bookshelf in the library. The RABs and cameras were not working again. But Brett was one of the guards on the fence line, and he suddenly spotted him. He sprayed a line of bullets close to him, just as he touched the second fence, and he stopped. How he got there without being seen... There were no cuts from the barbed wire. I didn't see that, just heard about it.

"He had two guards actually with him, and watching in his room every night by this time. They never said he tried to do anything, except that he wanted them to tell him what their family liked to do at Christmas. He asked a few of us that, and he'd listen closely, and want every detail, like maybe he was homesick, even if he couldn't remember a home. It was nearly December by then. We heard from those in his room at night that he was having terrible nightmares, every night, but he didn't seem to be getting sick so much any more.

"Remember I told you about a fight I had with him once? It was about a soldier called Emilie Hinch, whom I was keen on. They told her it was alright, and she was sorry for him, and took him back to her room. She told me later that they made love, and afterwards, he suddenly started crying, sobbing, in her arms. He wouldn't tell her why.

"But that same night, in the middle of the night, they burst into his room, held him down and drugged him. The night guards were supposed to say he was just sick again, but they told us what really happened. They were doing something to him again.

"A lot of us were on charges in the next week or so, cheeking officers, not obeying orders. It wasn't fair. He hadn't done anything wrong, except to try and get away. He'd never even hurt anyone. They let Emilie transfer, but a lot of us had been applying for transfers for months, and had not been allowed to go. It was not fair on us, having to guard someone who was a friend.

"A little over two weeks, he was sick, so they said. A week before Christmas, I don't know what happened, but suddenly we were all out searching again. Except we were searching for his dead body. Somehow, he'd got away from his room, and then they thought they'd killed him. Crocodile lines again, and anyone good at climbing trees was sent up in case he was caught up in tree branches, or his body was. Someone said it would be easier just to wait until the stink of the body led us to him. Kyle nearly killed him for saying that. We liked him, you see, and they'd killed him, or tried to. After a while, it began to look like he might have escaped after all, and it was whispered that we might have a party.

"No party, all on duty until he was found. And they told us again, he had a power, which no-one understood. He could not be allowed free. He was uncontrollable, and had to be killed for the safety of all of us. If seen, shoot on sight. Shoot on sight, they said, and we'd sworn to obey orders.

"Not that day, but in the afternoon of the day after, nearly all of us were loaded in buses, and taken to search a forest, an hour or so drive away. They didn't trust those of us in A Force, so when we searched, they teamed us up, a Force A man with a Force B man, repeated that it was Shoot on Sight, repeated that it was vitally important he not escape, and promised a medal to the one finding him, and preferably killing him.

"I didn't want to find him. None of us wanted to find him, I think, though I don't know about B Force. Claude and I, we saw him, quite suddenly, only about ten feet away, under a tree. He was naked, and lying on his back with his eyes shut. He looked so thin, and cold, and totally defenceless. He opened his eyes, and just looked at us. Maybe he was expecting to be killed. Claude had his rifle aimed, but then he lowered it, and we went on as if we'd never seen him.

"We combed that whole area, again and again, but no-one admitted to seeing him. Maybe there were others like us. I don't know. He looked as if he was nearly dead when we saw him. I thought he'd probably die in any case, but a couple of days later, we were searching a different area.

"A bit over a week after he escaped, there was a visit by important looking people, who talked to us all. Afterwards, we remembered a boring stint of duty guarding a weapons dump. Nothing about a man we called John Doe, who might have had mysterious powers."

Jimmy stopped, and Emma said, very quietly, "And then he turned into a horse and galloped away."

It had taken a while, and there was quiet talk, and coffees were served. Bernice and Clarence brought in some biscuits and cake.

Valencio stared into the distance. He must have been so terribly, terribly _lonely._ Just one prisoner, and he'd made friends with the guards, but how could they be really friends when they were guards, and under orders to shoot him if necessary? John had not been used for sex, of course, but they did other things to him, put some sort of location device in his body for a start, and probably other things as he lay unconscious. He'd lost everything, including his freedom, and used to ask the guards to tell them about their Christmases, maybe just to share a little.

Jimmy's picture. The thin man lying exhausted, naked, cold. No wonder they couldn't shoot him. And in all that time, he didn't hurt anyone, though he must have been capable of it. He'd learned enough magic to escape, and hurting was an easy thing for a wizard to do. Valencio shook his head. He _should_ trust John. He was a good man.

Tasha said quietly, "We were prisoners, but at least we were not alone."

Valencio nodded, and smiled at her, "None of us were alone."

"Cameras everywhere, Jimmy said. We had some privacy, as well."

"Do you realise if Jimmy had followed orders, like a soldier is supposed to, we'd be either still in Morocco, or dead?"

Carol finally asked, "Jimmy, why did you tell us this tonight?"

Jimmy replied, "Have you noticed that Dot and Michael never knew any of it? That he never talks about it himself? It's why I stopped telling the stories. I don't think he wants it known."

Clarence said, "He told me once that the medj had treated him well, that he'd been a prisoner before, and it was far, far worse."

"He has nightmares," Bernice said. "I have nightmares, too, and I saw him once when he stayed here overnight, walking hard in the night, as if trying to run away from bad memories."

"Are you saying he has nightmares because he won't talk about bad memories?"

"Maybe."

"We don't talk about bad memories. We've almost made it a rule."

"And a lot of us are still frightened to go off the property, or to meet a man, or go to the school play we were invited to."

Emma said, very quietly, "We should start talking about it, shouldn't we? And maybe then, we can put it away, and not have it continue to hurt us."

Connie, sitting beside her, said, "It doesn't have to be tonight, does it?"

"Soon."

Valencio frowned. He wasn't frightened to go off the property, or to meet people. And he couldn't possibly talk about it - not about what was done to him, and not the terrible shame - that for the last few years, he'd wanted it, enjoyed it. It was why Yiko and Narzu-Han had valued him so much, they shared his excitement, his enjoyment. He shook his head slightly. He would never tell anybody. Best to keep it buried as deeply as he could possibly manage, and trust that he was never tempted again.

But most of the women were nodding in agreement, as if it was something obvious that they should have known. He supposed if they wanted to talk to each other, it wouldn't hurt him... He didn't want to listen, though. He cared about them all, and was very close to several, not just Tasha. When they first came over into Enclosure 2, and to their surprise, discovered that they missed the sex. They'd come to him then, usually after a couple of weeks. And also the first time when they were tortured with the Spell of Pain. He could give comfort along with his lovemaking, though some just wanted to be held. Mostly, after a while, they needed him less.

Valencio had a good idea of those who'd been most badly treated at the start. They were the ones like Shirley, who left behind the sex with an enormous relief, and never looked for it again. Even Shirley though, had wanted to be held the first time she'd felt the Spell of Pain.

Neither Nusa'pei nor Abensur had ever put him on the list with anyone who was to feel it for the first time. And not with Emma or Tasha, either. He guessed they realised that his self-control might not hold if put under too much strain.

Tasha had been silent, but now put an arm around him, and asked if he wanted a cup of coffee.

_xchapter endx_


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 12_:

It started the evening after. They were going to go to the ballroom, every evening after dinner. They were going to talk about it, and they were going to heal themselves, so that then they could all be brave again. Valencio thought it a dreadful idea, and announced that he had no intention of raking over old traumas. That it would only hurt, and if people wanted to be brave, it was only a matter of choice. But Carol said with asperity that he could participate or not, as he chose, but that it was only sense.

Valencio was present in the ballroom that evening, sulky, staring at the floor. Tasha had no intention of allowing him escape. But there was only awkward silence until Carol said there was no hurry, and the Duich animal shelter had notified her that there was a dog and a cat needing homes. The relief in the air was palpable, and talk went on to other things, such as training dogs, and keeping the fur of a Persian cat in good condition.

Valencio smiled at Tasha, "I told you it was a silly idea."

Tasha said crossly that it wasn't a silly idea at all. Just that it might take a little time. There were others, like Gloria, who'd disagreed with the whole idea. And yet Gloria was present as well, and when Valencio counted them off, there was not a single absentee.

The next few evenings were the same, 100% attendance, and only talk of little things. The new cat called Jemima, the new dog, a little cocker spaniel, that cringed whenever approached, that Brigitta had every intention of competing in the next gymkhana they went to.

Bellamy started visiting almost every day, and announced they'd be going to a nearby horse sale in February, and they needed more stables, another fenced paddock for riding horses, and warm shelters in each paddock. An old shed was repaired and renewed, and he and Michael made a trip, returning with nails, saws, hammers, and other tools. There was a delivery of timber. It appeared that this was going to take a little longer than the other buildings had done, as he said that it was a good idea to learn how to build without magic.

Jimmy was with him, every day, the moment he appeared. Jimmy was an enthusiastic helper, who showed familiarity with the tools and the processes, although occasionally forgetting what he was building.

Clarence said he'd be useless, he thought. He'd helped his Dad a bit when he was ten or so, and had been useless even then. But Bellamy laughed at him, and asked, "Who can even hammer a nail, at ten?"

Clarence said uncertainly, "I'd like to help."

Bellamy was patient, demonstrating what was required, leaving Jimmy to go ahead on his own.

A few days later, when Clarence boasted he'd be an expert in no time, Valencio laughed and agreed he'd best try and learn as well, though he didn't think he'd ever even touched a hammer. But he chose to ask Jimmy what to do, and still kept his distance from Bellamy. You could never tell with wizards.

He was surprised to find himself so clumsy to begin with, but Jimmy extended to him the same patience he'd needed himself not many months before.

Bellamy never tried to approach him, except casually, when they were all together. Valencio was sure now that it was deliberate, that he knew that he was uncomfortable being near him. He was grateful, all the same. He was a good man. He knew that really. But he still didn't want to be close.

It wasn't until Bellamy changed the design, and showed them the changes on paper, that he temporarily forgot he was in the presence of a wizard, as he questioned. He asked Jimmy afterward, who agreed that it was definitely not the detailed sort of planning that was customary when building, but then Jimmy grinned, "I reckon if there's any holes or weak places, he'll just use magic to shore them up."

Eva, one day, asked if there wasn't supposed to be council approval and safety inspections, things like that. Bellamy looked blank, and then said confidently that if there were any difficulties, Dot would know what to do.

Valencio smiled, again feeling a little easier with the man. That his plans were vague, that he relied on Dot, that he wasn't above cheating, using magic whenever he chose... He was nothing like Yiko, really...

Before long, the four men were working together amiably, although sometimes not very efficiently. It takes more than a few days to become a carpenter, even if willing.

_xxdividerxx_

Every evening, after dinner, they retired to the ballroom, but there was still no start made. The gathering, every single night, consisted of all eighty-two of them, including Jimmy. Jimmy asked whether he should leave them alone, as he wasn't really one of them, but they said that he'd suffered too. They didn't really know how much, as he was just the same as all of them, reluctant to talk about it, although he mentioned once that Abensur routinely made false memories when anything really bad was done. They did know from what Abensur had said, that none in Enclosure 3, before that group, ever survived.

It took ten days, and Deirdre was talking about her evening of triumph when she was Miss Ireland. "When you win a beauty contest, you're supposed to shed tears of joy. It's almost obligatory. And the others are supposed to be all joyful for you, and kiss you. One whispered in my ear, as she made the pretend kiss, _Sly bitch!_ So what? I was the winner, she was not. And I had the robe draped around me, and a crown, and an enormous bouquet of flowers, even a sceptre."

She smiled, and said, "What a night!"

She laughed. "There was this thing that we were supposed to be not just unmarried, but virgins. It was never spelt out, but there was the expectation. That night, I made love with my fiancé for the very first time. I think it's one thing that helped so much in the next years."

She stared into the air. Those still talking, were hushed. Deirdre should be heard.

Valencio glanced at the woman, and swore to himself, looking again at the carpet. He'd been hoping it wouldn't happen, that they'd think better of the idea.

Deirdre started again, quietly. "The following afternoon, there was a meeting with the organisers. What my duties would be, when the major prizes would be available. There was a car, and that was to be delivered to my parents' place the following day. Two men, Arabic looking men, came into the room, and asked me to go with them. And I felt calm and happy, and I went with them. Got into the back seat of a big car without a murmur. It had windows that were black on the outside, though I didn't think that was legal. They took me home, and told me to carefully pack for a long trip, and I did, though I never saw the suitcase again. Wrote a note, just Good-bye. I caused no stir at the airport, just did exactly what I was told, handed over a passport they gave me, and we were passed through without the slightest hesitation.

"It was only when I was taken into Enclosure 1, that first they performed the Nala Spell, I was numbered, and only then did they lift the Compulsion Spell, and I realised I was a prisoner. I carried on a bit then, but they left me three days before I was taken to a bedroom for one of the Khatabis. By that time, I knew what it was all about, and knew that they could punish with terrible pain. I don't like pain, and I made the decision to be totally obedient from the start, and I was. I was hardly ever hurt, just a little sometimes, but most of the ones who liked to cause pain preferred younger ones, and I was eighteen.

"I never felt the Spell of Pain until I was in Enclosure 2, and was a subject for practice. I never earned it by misbehaviour. I've been lucky, I think. And I don't know why I haven't been able to recover more quickly, as I was never hurt very much."

Carol offered her one of the large boxes of chocolates that Dot ensured were available for them. Dot was sure she knew what they were doing, and tried to help in any way she could think of.

Carol said, "We all lived as helpless prisoners, totally subject to the wizards, many of whom were cruel, and all of whom were ruthless. For the last few years, Enclosure 2 had almost no use. We were expendable, and we knew it. Every single one of us bears deep scars."

Valencio wondered if maybe they could go now. Poor Deirdre. She'd sobbed in his arms when she'd been brought back after experiencing the Spell of Pain - she hadn't been able to believe that such pain could exist. She was one who'd gone back to Enclosure 1 when Abensur wanted an extra six. She said she preferred it - even when she sometimes had Botan. Innocent women, tortured. Not because they'd run away from rape, or been insolent, or attacked the wizards, just for _practice!_

There was Bridget as well that night, Bridget who'd struggled against it for two years, but treated as a pet, all the same, not punished. Of course, there were fences across the enclosure by then, and not enough space to make herself much of a nuisance by running. In the end, Helene had hauled her to where he'd been teaching Arabic to two new ones, and to his enormous embarrassment, had listed all the times he'd been punished, threatening to never speak to him again if he walked away. Helene achieved her purpose. Bridget stopped fighting, and was hurt less because of it, and Mariabella and Nikola never started.

_xxdividerxx_

The two stories left Valencio thoroughly depressed. If they were fool enough to continue, there were scores more stories of heartbreak to come. He abruptly made up his mind mid-morning, said to the other men that he'd be out for a while, and drove himself to Bogridge.

His uncertain question was answered by the receptionist, who said that Lily would interview him, and called casually, "Lily, can you see Mr. McDonald?"

Lily poked her head around a partition, and said she had no other appointments that day, and she could certainly see Mr. McDonald. Valencio sat in the place indicated as Lily pulled out a form, and started asking questions. Name, Vincent McDonald. Address, Loch Lomand.

She looked up then, curiously. One of the refugees, then. She'd wondered if she'd be seeing them at some stage.

"Are you on government benefits?"

"No."

Lily had stopped filling in the form, and asked, "What sort of job are you interested in?"

Valencio said uncertainly, "Farm work, maybe?"

"Have you ever been in paid work?"

"Not unless you count two weeks casual work on a farm."

Lily tapped her fingers on the desk. The man in front of her didn't look like a farm worker, and she doubted he'd be long content with that work. She said, almost to herself, "Public relations, maybe? Hospitality?"

Valencio frowned, and shook his head. He didn't want to be nice to people.

Lily stared at him, and then said, very quietly, "I take it you don't want to go back to acting?"

Valencio jumped, and he said, "Acting?"

Lily said quietly, "Valencio Durano. You were even given an Academy Award for best child actor, but it was after your disappearance, and maybe partly because you disappeared."

Valencio said unhappily, "I thought I'd have been forgotten. I was only twelve, and no-one should have recognized me."

"Sorry. I was besotted with you when I was a girl, and there was the clue of the group you're with. I wouldn't have guessed if not for that, though."

Valencio breathed a sigh of relief, and asked, "What are people saying about us?"

Lily said, in a matter-of-fact tone, "Escapees from a harem."

"Clarence and I?"

"Servants, married to two of the harem women."

"How many believe that?"

Lily replied quietly, "Not many."

Valencio shook his head. "I can't go back to anywhere I'm known. All I need is an ordinary job so Tash and I can be independent."

Lily looked back at her form, and said, "Any skills?"

"No work skills." Very good at stealing, and playing with blades without being seen, but no work skills.

Lily frowned, and then asked, "Languages?"

"Italian, French, German, Greek. Arabic, of course..."

"I could get you a job as an interpreter, but not around Bogridge."

"It needs to be close for a while. I can't persuade Tasha to leave Loch Lomand."

"Work in a shop?"

"I think I like farm work best, or maybe working with cars or machinery."

"You have no qualifications though."

Valencio shook his head, and sighed. He had no qualifications, and it was possible others might recognise him, but probably only if they knew he was a 'refugee.' He said, "Lily, do you think you could please not tell anyone who I used to be?"

"I won't tell anyone, Vince, and I'll contact you the moment anything comes up. There's little around in the middle of winter." She hesitated, and asked, "Work permit?"

"Do I need a work permit?"

Lily said, "I'm afraid so. Otherwise it's illegal to employ you."

Valencio looked in his wallet, and took out a small card. "Is this the one?"

Lily inspected, and smiled. "That's the one. So how about I call you as soon as I come up with something?"

Valencio thanked her, and said again, "Please don't tell anyone."

"I will not tell anyone."

Valencio left, and Lily thought of a certain phrase he'd used. He hadn't asked her not to tell anyone what his real name was, rather he'd asked her not to tell anyone who he used to be. She guessed it was understandable. He wouldn't feel like he was the same person after that sort of abuse. Twelve. He'd been twelve.

_xdividerx_

Deirdre had set the pattern, and there were two or three every evening for several days. They spoke of the trauma of being taken, and of first use. First use was a rape, even when the victim was quiet and submissive. They had no choice, which made it a rape. Valencio hated it, and he suspected there were far worse stories to come. None had spoken yet who'd been taken at a young age, all at least fifteen.

Sheila, in the ballroom. "I was seventeen, not a virgin. I appeared in a TV Commercial, and I suspect it's what drew their attention. My boyfriend was tender, loving, gentle. We were talking about getting married, though we were thought too young. From the moment I was taken, there was no gentleness, not the slightest consideration. They were in Paris, and Manmohan told me I was a sex slave now, did the Nala Spell, and told me what it was, so that they'd not have to kill me for getting pregnant, he said, then put the number on my arm. I was restrained on a bed, and each in the group of six, used me, that night, and most of them the next few nights.

"And at that, I count myself lucky. There was a little girl I saw once, only for a moment, being handled by Ahjmed. I never saw her again, as I was taken to Morocco, and Quang took charge of me. After those first few nights of gang rape, having one at a time didn't seem too bad. But I'll never forgive them, not the rape, and not the loss of freedom, not the little girl, who may never have been intended for the enclosures, as she wasn't good-looking enough, I suspect."

Many of the stories were repetitive. It made no difference. Each story of abduction and rape was the story of a trauma for that woman, something that would never be forgotten. Each time a woman took the plunge and spoke of old hurts, chocolates were shared around. There was quiet talk, and there was comfort. Among friends. No-one judging, or thinking less of a woman because she'd been raped. They'd all been raped.

Valencio was always present, wishing that Tasha would not insist. It hurt too much. The women who were his friends, and the bloody wizards had hurt them, sometimes hurt them terribly. And even when the physical pain was not a great deal, they'd all lost their freedom.

_xxdividerxx_

Lily called, and he had a few weeks' work at a farmer's place, helping feed sheep, while the farmer rested his sprained ankle. A small wage, and still only part-time. From it, he paid the agreed upon amount for board. It was still more than the allowance received by non-workers, and more importantly, it was outside money, beginning independence. The amount for board had been set by the Committee with advice from Dot, slightly less than the actual cost of keep. There should be nothing to discourage anyone from becoming independent. For the rest of each day, he continued with the building work. That was something to help them all, while the outside job was for himself. One day, he and Tasha would leave, and never, ever see any bloody wizard again.

He found himself glaring at John once, for starting the whole stupid idea of sharing the agony. He wasn't sure whether he noticed, but rebuked himself. Probably poor John would hate it that they now knew so much of how he'd behaved as a prisoner.

In the third week, it suddenly occurred to Valencio that the simple, manual job was actually thoroughly boring. He was becoming increasingly depressed. He was not the only one affected by what he heard. Dot was finding jobs left undone, as women became distracted and upset, and forgot to clean shower blocks, or didn't turn up when they were supposedly on kitchen duty. Dot and Michael left them alone, and checked that jobs were done, taking on an extra load, again, to make up for undone work.

Carol, as leader, decided she could not be a coward. It was the worst story so far.

"I was eight. Just a child. They took me for Ahjmed, who liked children, and liked blondes. They didn't bother with Paralysis or Compulsion, or even wrist and ankle cuffs. I never saw any of the others in the enclosure until afterwards, so was not warned, except I knew they had magic. The servant just took me by the arm, took me to his room, and when Ahjmed answered, pushed me in, quite gently. Ahjmed told me to take off my clothes, and I just stared at him, frightened, and not understanding. He smiled, approached, and simply tore off my clothes. I got away for a moment and tried to get out, but the door wouldn't open. It was brute force. I was just a little girl, didn't know about sex, and, of course, I was a virgin at eight. It hurt me badly, and there was a lot of blood. He didn't seem to mind, and did it again a bit later, before pushing me to the floor and telling me I was to sleep in the corner. He used me every night for the next two weeks, and for that time, I wore a green wristband. His _Favourite,"_ she added, scathingly.

'"But then, Nusa'pei took off the wristband, and told me Ahjmed had gone away, and now there would probably be other men. There were a lot of other men at first, it seemed they liked little girls. But after a while it was usually only about three regulars, all of them Khatabi-Richi. I think it helped that I was not exceptionally beautiful. I was only about twenty-four when I went into Enclosure 2."

"Were you obedient?"

"Almost always, but sometimes I tried things that might influence them a touch, when they did things I didn't like."

"Such as?"

"One thought he wanted to use my bottom, and I whined that I had stomach ache, and couldn't help doing poo all the time. He changed his mind, and didn't even use me normally."

There was laughter. The story of the brutal rape of an eight-year-old child was not new to them, and a little humour was welcome.

Carol said, "It pleased me enormously that story that Clarence passed on of Ahjmed lying paralysed with his own wand stuck in his bottom."

Clarence said quietly, "There was a bit more to the story, which maybe I should tell you now."

Valencio sighed. He didn't think he wanted to know, but Clarence continued.

"Ahjmed took several days to recover, as he was all night lying helpless, with perforated intestines, and also no doubt having terrible cramps, because that's what happens if the paralysis is left on more than a few hours. But then he killed each person in both enclosures, and also some of the servants, except with servants, he challenged them to a duel, and then killed them. The medj girl's name was Pamela, and she was tortured for most of the day until she died. Bouchra said they did it close enough so that the women and girls would hear the screams - make them remember they had to be obedient. The Khatabi girl was Bouchra's best friend, and was kept alive for long enough to have the baby sired by Ajhmed."

"And you said that girl baby was Madam Najia's mother."

Clarence nodded.

Carol said, "I wonder if we can somehow find out who Pamela was, and maybe tell her mother how brave she was."

"It was a long time ago, unlikely that she'd still be alive."

"Pamela. We should remember her name."

They nodded. Pamela.

After a pause, Clarence said, "I think I was comparatively lucky, and yet I felt so terribly ashamed. I was eleven. Like Carol, I was not taken to Enclosure 1 until afterwards. We've all been raped, and I don't know why I always felt it was somehow more shameful for a boy to be raped than a girl. It was Adil Khatabi, and he put me under the Filuah Kay Spell, so I didn't have any strength to resist. The servant helped him. They fixed cuffs to wrists and ankles, and I was told they'd be staying on for a while. But then there were more, knees, waist, upper thighs.

"I didn't know that men had sex with boys, in fact, I didn't actually know anything about sex, except for what young boys told each other. I'd never seen a fullgrown man's erect penis, and I didn't that time. It seemed that Adil could not be bothered trying to overcome any resistance, and the servant helped him undress me, and bend me over what he called the Brieke-tei, a specially made piece of furniture, designed for just this purpose, and the restraints were used, so that I couldn't move at all. Then he started caressing. When I yelled at him to leave me alone, I was silenced. I still didn't know what he was doing, but thought he was going to whip me."

He was quiet a while, and finally sighed, and said, "I think I would have preferred the whipping.

"They took a while to catch me the day after, when they came for me. I ran, and hid, and dodged spells, and when I was caught, they gave me a dose of the Pain Curse to teach me a lesson. After a week of trying to run, and being paralysed and punished every time, I gave up and did what they said. Maybe Adil was just lazy, as he continued using the Brieke-tei, taking a long time to do each clip. Maybe it was part of the pleasure. But then a new girl came in, and he lost interest in me. There were a few others asked for me, but not many, and they lost interest too, after a few times. I was put into Enclosure 2 when it was still empty, with nine women, all of them a lot older than me. I was still only thirteen.

"It's been a long time, and I never could quite get over that shame. But then John told me he'd been raped. He said the first time, it was while he was drugged, and didn't know it was happening, but afterwards, he felt shamed, and killed the man who did it." He smiled. "He said it made him feel a lot better about it, and I fully understand."

Valencio half-smiled, remembering his utter glee when he'd watched Charandev bleeding to death on the floor. It had only taken a few minutes.

Clarence continued, "Then he said it happened again, many years later, and there had been something worse, though he didn't say what. He said it made him think that being upset about a minor physical intrusion was really a bit childish."

There was a pause, and Carol finally said, "A minor physical intrusion?"

"That's what he said, but he's very old, and maybe you have to be very old before you can think of such a violation as a minor physical intrusion!"

Valencio sat quietly in a corner, looking away. He had no intention of telling his story, but maybe if he told a little, they'd leave him alone. He had the feeling that half the younger ones were watching him, waiting... They'd know about Charandev, he assumed, and Adil's ruined eye. And no-one else wore the colours of an owner once in Enclosure 2.

Tasha that night, cried in his arms. "Poor little girl," she kept saying. "Just eight, and that monster..."

Even Valencio didn't know Tasha's story, though she said it was only ordinary, not nearly as bad as some.

The following night, Valencio told a part of his story.

"Hicham once told me I was chosen from a film I was in, so it was no random choice. I was walking home from school with a couple of my friends. I'd just arrived home from Hollywood a few days before, and was very happy to be back. Anyway, I saw Pervez standing beside a van, knew they were after me, knew it was better to die than to be caught, and ran. I only escaped for a few hours, as a policeman took me home. I woke in the night, knowing they were there, and slipped out of the window. I was going to run, never see my family again, rather than be caught. But I broke a leg falling, and Pervez must have heard me, even though I was too frightened to make a sound. I don't know how I knew, but I knew from the instant I saw Pervez, that anything was better than that.

"They used the Brieke-tei, and I hated it, of course. To me it will never be a minor physical intrusion. Five years, and I went berserk, and tried to strangle Narzu-Han, but I wasn't punished, just put into Enclosure 2. Yiko liked me too, and I think I had some protection, more than most. At least, that's what he told me once. I could tolerate Enclosure 2. Nusa'pei told me I was being given a second chance, and I took care not to get myself punished again. There was too much of that in the early years."

Many of the younger ones wanted to ask questions, but Valencio was looking grim, unapproachable, and when Brigitta glanced at Helene, she shook her head. Helene was surprised that he'd spoken at all, and so was Tasha.

Valencio crossed his fingers they wouldn't point out how little he'd actually said. He'd offered them the scrap of his acting, in the hope that it might distract them from asking too many questions, and it seemed to have worked, as Treen asked about it. He was dismissive, denying that he even remembered the names of those films he'd done.

_xdividerx_

Valencio worked again with Clarence and Jimmy in the morning, and at eleven, Bellamy appeared, two dogs at his heels. He was to stay a while, he said, and liked his own dogs with him. He'd help with the building, and help with the horses now that Susan was married, and probably wouldn't come very often any more.

Valencio felt as if he couldn't stand working with any bloody wizard that day, and took a car and drove to Edinburgh, for the second time now. He had an order for art supplies for Mary, and used that as an excuse for his absence. He was late back for dinner.

Carol had asked him not to take on any outside work for the present. He was too valuable doing what he was doing. Valencio wasn't sure it was all that valuable. He was improving in skills, but a wizard could do in five minutes what he took all day to do. But Carol asked, and Valencio was very much in the habit of doing what the women said. They were strong, and wise. Usually. This ridiculous idea of comparing traumas! Couldn't they _see_ it only hurt?

A few days later, again, he was late. There had been three the evening before. Valencio was still brooding over it. He hadn't helped with the building at all that day, and supposed he should apologise. Bellamy waved it aside. "I've been working on a horse shelter, and you couldn't help with this. The heating has to appear to work by a generator, but magic's so much cheaper. And it has to stop if a medj mechanic tries to see how it works."

Mary asked shyly, "How many new horses are going to come?"

Dinners were placed in front of Bellamy and Valencio, and Valencio looked up in surprise. He didn't know that woman. Medj or Ania?

Bellamy said routinely, "Thank you, Kitty," then did a double take, and stared after her, as she left.

Brigitta, also sitting close, giggled. "She's come to help, just for a little while."

Bellamy cast his eyes about. There were empty places, and there were a few with red eyes, others who looked pale and strained. Valencio saw him guessing, but then he said in a comforting voice, as if it would cure all things, that they'd take all three horse boxes to the sale next week, and buy as many as they could for the money.

Valencio shook his head. But maybe he was right, at least a little. Tasha took a great comfort in riding the horses.

_xxdividerxx_

To Valencio's relief, there were no more stories that evening. He started to cheer up over the next few days, as the drought continued. Maybe they'd given up the silly idea.

They spoke instead, of the way they were used as subjects to practise spells on. Carol said, "I was amazed when three of us were taken to Haru, and it was just a young girl waiting to learn."

Jimmy asked, "Why was that a surprise?"

"We never saw the girls or women, they just didn't get taught with live subjects."

"Abensur always silenced us for her, remember," said Clarence.

Carol nodded. "It was only a couple of months, it was Zhor, and we heard that she'd just instructed the teacher that she wanted to practise on live subjects. So he did, but when old Riza came back, the lessons stopped."

"Haru never had her do anything painful, or even very uncomfortable."

Jimmy asked curiously, "It sounds like it really wasn't too bad, that part."

"The worst is when they learned the Pain Curse."

Bernice said, "Those healing spells, that was awful."

"What did they do?" asked Jimmy.

"Deep cutting, breaking bones, though we were under a Twilight spell, but the worst was when they caused a painful injury, so that they could practise pain relief. That was very bad, because we had to feel the pain."

Clarence said, "We were terrible, you and me, my love. Running away each time that week."

Bernice looked down, "I'm an awful coward."

Her husband squeezed her comfortingly, and said to Jimmy, "It never made the slightest difference, if our names were on the list, we were used."

Jimmy said, "That was like us. If our names were on the list, that was it."

"What were the differences?"

"Bridget said she had ankle and wrist cuffs because she was not obedient. We had them as well, from the first day, and they were invariably used."

Clarence said questioningly, "We were sometimes paralysed..."

Jimmy answered, "We were seldom paralysed for the lesson, just each time clipped to bars that went floor to ceiling. And then they did what they wanted. But when it was bad, Abensur made us remember something different."

There were a few glances at Valencio, and he looked away. Cuffs around wrists and ankles, and bars that went floor to ceiling. Simple and effective.

Jimmy was looking down at his coffee cup, turning it in his hands. They waited, and he finally continued. "It's funny. I have double memories. I remember Oswald being told how he escaped from the group who kidnapped him. I remember him having the number and the cuffs removed, and I remember him joking with Kamchatsu, as they walked to the far end of the corridor, where we never went.

"And I remember him being put in front of us, and his legs paralysed. Then Haru made a spell that opened up deep cuts in his front, and terrible bleeding. I remember breaking out of Compulsion and yelling and struggling. Curtis was too. Oswald bled to death as we watched, and Haru was disgusted with Tahar and Hamza because his Compulsion Spell wasn't strong enough. We were not supposed to mind that one of our number had just been painfully murdered.

"We had the healers, too, except that with us, there was nothing to make it easier, except that Abensur made us forget, afterwards, and we wouldn't really know why we were so sore. There was one day, they took the maximum number. Fifteen of us. Abensur nearly always stayed, but this time he started to leave, and Stew called out to him, 'Abensur?' Abensur said, 'Nearly all of you will survive, maybe all of you,' but then he went, and Stew sighed and looked at the floor. He seemed to know more than the rest of us, and now I remember that afterwards, Abensur spoke to each of us, but then went to Stew, and asked if he wanted his memory changed, as well, and Stew declined, very politely."

Clarence asked, "Did you all survive that day?"

"We all survived that day. Those healers, they were very good. The lesson was treating gunshot wounds, and to begin with, we were silenced, and they only shot one at a time, and Agneta or Jila would make spells that must have vanished the bullets, and then healed the wounds, and whatever else was needed.

"But then Zola made it harder for the students. We were not silenced, and two at a time were shot, and then three at a time. I guess the exercise was to assess priorities, save as many as possible, and ignore the shouting and screaming. At the very last, all of us were shot, a spray of bullets right across the row of us, so everyone was very badly hurt. Some of us had to drink potions for a few days, but none of us died."

He laughed, bitterly. "I think it was the day that Abensur made us remember being inflicted with boils, and then being cured."

"What else?"

"To begin with, Tahar and Hamza were doing what I think must have been revision, and the worst was the Spell of Pain, like you said. Maybe they were just not cruel enough, because it was a long time before Haru was satisfied. But then it must have been time to move on, as one day, they took a lot of notes, as Haru demonstrated spells, and then reversed them. Dreadful spells, dreadful things. We were crippled, or deformed, or both at once. Faces made grotesque, but then made normal again. I guess it was what the students were to learn in the next month or so. A few were very painful.

"Usually, there would be a different selection for the afternoon, but this time, they just kept the same ones, though they let a few of us go to the toilet, I think, but under the Compulsion Spell, in case of revolt. They always used Arabic, so we wouldn't know what they said. Haru asked Abensur something, and Abensur shook his head. I wonder now if he wanted to know if there were any particular trouble-makers.

"But anyway, he just pointed his wand at the first in line, Alistair McManaman. We mostly called him Blue. He was redheaded, and covered with freckles. Always the life of the party, extrovert, used to get enormously drunk sometimes, and then he'd just laugh and laugh, and stagger after any of the women who came close. He was a character. Full of life. Haru said something, and his head turned into a pumpkin. We were all of us silenced, so as not to interrupt. But we were not too upset, as we expected Haru to reverse it, and Alistair would be alright again.

"Tahar took the restraints off Alistair, and Alistair could still stand, and the students just led him around the room a bit, and pushed him gently into a chair, and made him lie down, and he just did whatever he was pushed into doing. Then Haru gave a long lecture, and they took notes. And then he killed Alistair, with the head of the pumpkin, and made the body vanish."

There was a long silence. Those in Enclosure 2 knew it happened, knew their own lives had been threatened, but hardly any of them had seen such a casual murder, and tidy up afterwards.

Jimmy heaved a deep sigh. "The next in line was Christopher Belmont. And he was yelling, but silenced, and struggling against the restraints, but there was no way we could free ourselves, or even kick at them, as our ankles were always restrained as well."

Jimmy stared into the distance. They waited. No-one even coughed.

At last he stirred, and said, "Chris was tall and thin, with sandy hair. He always looked as if he was in a dream, and was brilliant at his work. He was engaged to Kerry, who worked in the office. The spell they put on him made holes all through him, and he was in terrible pain. They didn't leave him long, just long enough for the students to have a look. I remember they looked sick. Some of us were sick. But then, he, too, was killed, and the body vanished. Everyone was in a terrible state, but we were still silenced, and then Abensur raised his voice, and told us that only one more would be killed. Not much consolation for the third in line, Peter Jones."

He paused, and Brigitta asked, "What was Peter Jones like?"

"We always called him Jonesy. He was short and round, only about thirty, and already with receding hair. He was very friendly with Chris, they worked together. And when Abensur said that, he just took a deep breath, and faced Haru. It was the bravest thing. I remember the incantation. _Keeatico Listeri Vego,_ and Jonesy sort of sagged at the knees and lost all expression. It wasn't all that dramatic, compared to the other two, and they just left him hanging by the wrists a while until Haru was finished his talk.

"I was next to him, and he just stared, as if he couldn't see, or think. And then he dribbled, just a little bit. I don't know exactly what they'd done. But then Tahar tried to kill him, but it wasn't working. Then Hamza, and Haru was beginning to look disgusted again, as if they were failing the course. He finally did it himself, and again, the body was just vanished. And I remember Abensur telling the three who were really dead, to remember an escape, and I remember how they walked happily down the far end of the corridor.

"I don't think I saw any other deaths. Towards the end of the time when the healers were being trained, they started putting Confusion Spells on Charlie and me. At first, we were only confused for a half hour or so, and were not all that worried. But it started getting longer to wear off. Charlie tried to run away around Day 6, but it was no good, of course. We were both thoroughly messed up by then. I'm a bit blurry about it, but it was sometime around then that Madam Zhor took over, and no-one else disappeared.

"And then John came, and I knew him straightaway, and he held me because I suddenly knew they were doing awful things to us, and I cried a long time, and he just held me."

Jimmy's voice broke, and he looked down at the floor. Brigitta perched herself on the edge of his chair, and stroked his hair.

After a while, someone asked, "He took you home?"

"He fixed it so that we went home, but he changed memories too, I'm pretty sure, all but Charlie and I. I think Charlie was alright, but I was put into an institution, and I hated it. There were high fences all around. So then John came again, and he showed them papers, and he brought me here."

Valencio thought about Jimmy those first few days. He hadn't objected to John leaving, but he'd been unhappy as well as confused. He continually talked about high fences that he couldn't get over, and that he thought they were all dead. Every day, he'd show him again that the fences here were low. It was good to see him so much better, if not fully recovered.

Jimmy's account had been horrific, but for Valencio, it was easier to bear than the stories of the women. They were men, and except for Jimmy, they were strangers. It didn't seem as bad when men were hurt.

At dinner, a couple of evenings after Jimmy's story, Brigitta asked Bellamy what Keeatico Listeri Vego curse was.

Bellamy looked up from his dessert, and said, "How did you know about that?"

"Jimmy saw Haru perform it."

Bellamy glanced at Jimmy, and replied, "It's called the Cha Keeyo Curse, and is a particularly nasty one that wipes the mind clean. The victim is left a vegetable. It's irreversible. Riza Khatabi had it done to me, for revenge for interfering with her family, but it didn't work properly. It was why I was sick, and found myself in a medj prison."

After a pause, Jimmy said, "What about a spell that leaves holes in a person?"

"_Holes_ in a person?"

"Going deep, even through in places."

Bellamy shook his head. "I don't know that one."

"A pumpkin for a head?"

"I used to see that now and then, but not for years. I think it's the most terrible of all. The victims mostly stay alive for a few months, but they go mad. Medj victims are a bit more fortunate, because they start to die very quickly."

"Is that irreversible?"

"I can undo it, provided they're still alive, and probably Zoe could, too. No-one else."

There was a quiet, and Bellamy asked, "Who's coming to the horse sale tomorrow with me and Victor?"

There was a chorus of replies, but fewer than there would have been a month before. Young Robin bounced in his chair, and called, "Me, me!"

Bellamy hesitated, and looked at Dot, who finally nodded, and said she would come, and bring Robin.

"Drivers?"

"I can drive a horse box," said Dot, "Victor also, and Vince has volunteered, and Cramsie McGonnigal says he'll be happy to drive the bus if only Tiffany will come."

"We can hire somebody. I don't think blackmail is quite fair!"

Tiffany smiled, "It wasn't really like that, and I wouldn't miss it!"

"How's Patrick going over the jumps?"

"Really good, though the jumps are a bit strange-looking. Connie, Mary, Emma and I - we're not the best carpenters."

"The gymkhana next week?"

Tiffany nodded enthusiastically, and the three young girls grinned at each other, but no-one else made any indication of interest.

"We've talked about it," said Inge, "And we want Gus, Mosquito and Storm, if that's okay."

"If more want to come, they'll have to be shared around," cautioned Bellamy.

The girls nodded. They knew they couldn't have a horse of their own.

_xxdividerxx_

It had become a ritual. Dot and Michael and Bellamy did the clearing up, Kitty would go home, and Clarence would organise coffee, and usually something sweet to help when emotions ran high. And all the medj, including those who hadn't come to dinner, would retreat to the ballroom.

"He said that was why he was sick," said Jimmy. "That curse, it was done to him."

Valencio had been thinking about him a lot since Jimmy's story. They'd already known that he'd been supposed to have been destroyed, that he'd been dropped 'naked and unconscious' in a New York gutter, now they knew a lot more. That he'd lost so much... And then found it again. He walked among them as if he was only ordinary. The women thought him good-looking, said that he had a great body. That he wore glasses, had scars and white streaks in his hair made no difference. He was an attractive man.

But there was more to him, that one had to look to see. The compassion in his eyes. He'd held Jimmy when he came across him. Jimmy said he'd cried, and John held him 'a long time.' There was confidence in his bearing, and yet not a sign of the arrogance that other wizards showed. He'd beaten the Khatabis, who'd been so much feared. Defeated Ahjmed, who had hurt so many. Defeated Adil, who'd taken pleasure in hurting him. Yet he knew how to use a builder's tools, and was happy to show others how to use them.

He was deeply sad, as well. When they put him to bed, because he'd had too much to drink. That last thing he'd said - that Pat was gone. And Susan had said, too, that he was very lonely. If one was different from everyone else, especially if one was very old, and saw others die before you, that would be lonely. How old was he? Narzu-Han had told him years ago, that he was very old and still looked like he was in his twenties. Another fifteen or so years had passed since then, and still one would guess him to be in his twenties.

Tiffany said calmly, "I have to talk tonight, because I want to get it sorted out in my own head before I go out again, and I'm going out tomorrow."

"Is it a rite of passage, or something?" said Gloria, cynically, and with bitterness, "And we're not allowed out until we come clean?"

Carol shook her head. "We're free now, and do what we want. But maybe it is a rite of passage in a way. I think when each one speaks, it helps that person, and it helps the rest of us, too."

Valencio sighed. Inevitable, he supposed, and Tasha had been very brisk when he suggested there was something good on TV, and they would not be missed for just one night.

Tiffany. She'd been too terrified even to speak to a wizard when he'd first met her. Held all by herself in the end enclosure. But she'd come to his aid when he'd refused the help of Kofi-Zee, and then fallen, in his weakness. She'd helped him shower. He'd very much needed a shower, as he hadn't had one since he was used, and it was urgent. He'd known that they must have done something terrible to her, but she'd never told him what.

She started. "It was the final week of the Miss America contest. Every day we were busy. Photo shoots, talks with potential sponsors, vague talk of possible jobs in advertising or modelling, but it all depended on the final selection. One of the sponsors we had to be nice to, was a very good-looking man, with flashing dark eyes and olive skin. He spoke English perfectly, but not like an American. Miss South Carolina went to bed with him one night, I think, but she was very quiet the next day, and was scored poorly on her speech. I loathed him, myself, thought him creepy, but we smiled and we smiled, the way one has to, if you're foolish enough to go in a beauty contest.

"The dark, good-looking man was Pervez, and while the evening celebrations were still in progress, he spoke to me, just a congratulations, and he fixed his eyes on mine, and spoke as if hypnotically, asking me if I was a virgin. For a moment, I thought I couldn't lie, but then I did anyway. I said I was a virgin. He smiled, and told me to forget he asked. I felt confused a moment afterwards, and shook my head, trying to remember what happened. But I didn't forget he asked, and I think I was not supposed to have been able to lie.

"I don't know how they took me to Morocco, and I was not put into Enclosure 1 straightaway. But when I fully knew what was happening, I was sterilised already, and had cuffs on wrists, ankles and knees, and I was No. 57."

It was the usual story, up until the moment that Brahim discovered she was not a virgin, rejected her, and stalked off, furious. "...and Pervez nearly killed me with the Spell of Pain, and then man after man came in and used me. I took a week to recover, and it was only then they put me in Enclosure 1."

Carol said slowly, "I never knew that. But I knew Pervez was whipped about that time, I guess for not doing his job properly."

Tiffany shrugged. "I never really suffered after that. The ones who chose me were seldom those who liked to hurt. Brahim never chose me, and I guess the next one Pervez brought in for him was definitely virgin."

Tiffany said, "I've spoken about it, and now I want at least three chocolates, thank you." Helene passed over the chocolates, and said that it was like Carol said at the start, they were all hurt. None of them were without wounds.

Valencio still stared at the floor, his usual posture when the women spoke. Poor Tiffany. She was very brave. Considerate, too. She hadn't said anything of the days they'd spent together, though she knew he'd tried to kill himself, and so nearly succeeded. Stupid to do it when he was with Narzu-Han, of course. Arikiyo wouldn't have woken in time.

_xchapter endx_


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 13:_

Tasha was very excited. The horse sale, and she checked her money, and Valencio's. If only she could have a horse of her own. It would be so special to have a horse of her own.

Tiffany was not at breakfast, and the whisper went around. "When she was taken, there were murders, her boyfriend, and her sister and her boyfriend."

"Blood everywhere, and the one who did it was wearing a cape."

"She ran away from Cam because he was wearing a cape, remember?"

"They must have made her forget, like Jimmy said Abensur did all the time with his group."

"She remembered last night, Gloria said. In an awful state."

Tasha whispered, "It never occurred to me that they might have murdered my family when they took me."

Valencio said comfortingly, "You know they're alive."

"I do, but there are some who haven't asked about their families. Some have never told Dot their real names. Could there have been other murders like that?"

It was unanswerable. There could have been.

But the tragedy had been long ago, and Tasha said dreamily, "I'll buy a white horse, I think. I've always liked white horses."

Valencio grinned at her, "So if there's no white horse, we'll save our money?"

Tasha laughed, "Not likely! I need my own horse."

Valencio was to drive one of the three horse boxes, though a little hurt that not even Tasha was willing to trust his driving enough to be his passenger. He was sure he drove perfectly well, but Tasha said that she wanted to go in the bus, driven by McGonnigal, and added, "I like to play with Robin, and Robin's going in the bus."

Valencio was not towing, just driving a horse box that would take four horses, with room for a passenger in the cabin, the same as the other two. But Tasha was sure he drove far too fast. There was another new face - Victor Armitage, large, broad, and with a full beard, very bushy, and going grey. Yet another of Bellamy's employees.

Valencio had no chance to go too fast to the horse sale, placed firmly third in the convoy after Victor. Dot was leading, the bus last. It was an hour's trip to the horse sale, and Valencio made a creditable job of backing the horse box into the place specified.

Victor addressed him casually as Vince, and said, "I'm doing the bidding today. We can't trust the boss not to bring home every old crock and nervous wreck destined for the meat man. He's too soft-hearted, and he's not allowed to be soft-hearted today. Carol and Dot are to keep him away from the bidding."

Valencio laughed. Did the great wizard realise his employees had so little faith in him? Too soft-hearted. It was a wonderful thing that the most powerful wizard in the world was 'too soft-hearted!'

Tasha waited until he was no longer close to Victor and Bellamy, before she joined him, full of exuberance, and with sales catalogue and bidding number in hand. They didn't want anyone to say they couldn't buy a horse if they wanted. Plans were put into action, and Bellamy walked away with a couple of the women. Valencio grinned.

They just watched to begin with, as the first horses were sold. Victor was one of the early bidders for a middle-aged gelding, knowing that the horses early in a sale often went for lower prices. Valencio said to Tasha, "He's buying several new horses. Our money might be better saved."

Tasha said, reluctantly, "Maybe..."

Carol said, "He's bought a horse that John wanted, and Victor and McGonnigal said was unsuitable. No. 23, and Bellamy said he'd been badly treated at some time, and thinks all people are enemies."

"I guess he's going to try and persuade it that some people don't necessarily hurt."

Carol asked, "Has he persuaded you yet, Valencio, that some bloody wizards don't necessarily hurt?"

"I'm keeping an open mind. I reckon it's a mistake to fully trust any wizard. They have a habit of turning on you."

"They're not a separate species, you know."

"_I_ reckon they're a separate species!"

Carol smiled, "Come with me, and we'll tell him that Victor bought him his frightened horse."

Valencio said, "Tasha?"

"Not now, I want to watch."

Valencio stopped when they spotted Bellamy. He was with Gloria, listening as Gloria talked. There was something about the body language... He touched Carol on the arm, and said quietly, "Might be better to tell him later."

They waited, and Carol intervened when others started to approach the pair who spoke so intensely at the edge of a river. They saw Gloria snap something at him, then abruptly leave him. Bellamy looked after her for a second, sat on the wet bank of the river, leaned his back against a tree, and stared at the water.

Carol turned and started walking away, saying quietly, "Gloria was eleven when she came, Maliwan thirteen. She's never spoken about anything that happened to her before, but she was not marked as a virgin when she arrived."

Tasha said to Valencio and Carol, the moment they returned, "Seven. He's bought seven, but the girls say he's finished now, as there are no others suitable."

They stayed watching anyway, though Victor was talking to Dot, and was no longer taking notice. Suddenly, Tasha grabbed Valencio's arm, and said, "It's Clarence. Clarence is bidding."

Carol said, "Brigitta's with him, putting her wiles to work, no doubt."

"Pretty horse," remarked Tasha.

Valencio consulted the catalogue, and said, "Unbroken. What's Brigitta going to do with an unbroken horse?"

Tasha smiled at her husband triumphantly. "If Brigitta and Clarence can buy a horse, I reckon we can."

Valencio was suddenly enthusiastic, "Which one?"

Tasha pointed, "The light brown one, with the pale mane and tail. She's so pretty!"

Valencio consulted his catalogue, and said, "Lucky you already got us the bidding number."

Tasha said, "You just have to wave it, I think. That's what everyone else is doing."

The moment the horse was led in, an opening bid was accepted, and Valencio started waving his catalogue. Tasha grabbed his arm, and pointed to the bidding number, which he held up instead. The auctioneer looked at him a little doubtfully. He didn't seem to have much idea. All the same, the dun filly was knocked down to Valencio and Tasha, to the delight of them both.

Then there was Margaret and Adolfina, "Can you buy one each for us. We haven't got a number, and Russki's next."

"How much can you afford?"

Margaret said, "I want No. 92, and then Adolfina wants No. 95, that looks the same."

Tasha was making calculations, and said doubtfully, "We can add a little money that's left over from ours, but we need more money, probably."

Margaret looked around in a panic, and called, "Clarence, have you got any more money? I'll pay you back, I promise."

Clarence nodded. "I brought money. I can lend you some."

Helene was standing next to him, and said, "I have some, as well."

Valencio started waving his number again, looking slightly less amateurish. He knew all about it now.

A few minutes later, Margaret hugged him tight, and said, "Russki. He's called Russki. It says so."

Tasha smiled, and said, "Mine's called Honey."

Adolfina said, anxiously, "Don't forget you have to buy mine yet."

Valencio efficiently bought the third unbroken three-year-old, and wondered what Bellamy would say. Who was going to train them for riding?

Tasha said to Margaret, "You'll need to find someone else with money willing to lend it. You haven't got enough."

Margaret said, surprised, "I haven't?"

"He was the most expensive."

Margaret looked around, and spotted Gloria and Shirley approaching. Gloria hesitated, but Shirley was thrilled, said she had enough, and wanted to see the new horse instantly.

"Russki," said Margaret, proudly.

Valencio said, "What do we do now?"

No-one had any idea, so they waited.

They were not the only ones, and Tasha pointed at where Gloria stood, holding up a bidding number, in the process of buying a skinny, shaggy Shetland pony. Valencio laughed, and said, "Maybe she's like the boss! Too soft-hearted."

Tasha said, surprised, "Gloria?"

Gloria had always seemed to her a strong person, even fierce, though she'd known better than to annoy the wizards. Then there was another, a piebald pony. The little mare bit her handler, who struck her in retaliation. Gloria started bidding. Then Carol, who bought a tall and skinny thoroughbred.

Victor grinned at them, and shook his head. But he told them where to pay, and then provided each horse with a halter, so they could be more easily handled. Luckily the four unbroken horses appeared quiet to lead.

He said, "We only have horse boxes for twelve, and there's fourteen!"

Bellamy strolled over to him, regarded the assortment of horses, and laughed, "I thought it was me that was supposed to keep out of the way for fear of winding up with useless horses!"

Fourteen horses, but McGonnigal spoke to a friend with the result that there was an offer to deliver two of the horses for them.

When it was time, Tasha led Honey up the ramp of the horse box herself. Honey balked, but Valencio told her casually not to be silly. To his surprise, the filly pricked her ears, and followed Tasha quietly, though Victor came and checked that she was safely tied, before loading another three horses, including Gloria's shaggy Shetland.

There was a great turnout to meet them on their return, and McGonnigal helped as the horses were sorted into two new paddocks, all those supposedly quiet to ride, in one, and the rest in another. Tasha was very proud, petting and fussing. Bellamy said to everyone to keep out of the paddock where No. 23 was put, now named 'Kennedy.' The brown thoroughbred was unsafe to be near. Gloria took no notice of the advice not to enter that paddock, petted her black and white pony, and then started to lead the pitiful Shetland into the shelter, where feeds waited. Kennedy flattened his ears at her, but then went into a corner, and nibbled at the grass, though it was still too early in the year to contain much nourishment.

Tiffany said, "Cam?" and McGonnigal turned to her. Valencio smiled, pleased that she was better now, and turned back to lean against the fence, as Tasha told Sheri and Veronica all about it.

There were no stories that evening. The reluctant ones had Tiffany's experience to use as an excuse. What horrors had they, too, been made to forget? Maybe it was best they remain forgotten. Instead, there was enthusiastic talk about the horses, and plans for the gymkhana, which suddenly more people wanted to go to.

_xxdividerxx_

In the morning, Victor and Bellamy started trying out the new horses, watched by a large audience.

"I can't wait to try Honey," Tasha remarked.

Valencio said, "Victor said she looks a good horse, and just the right size."

"She looks a little tall to me, now I've been closer."

"About 15 hands, Victor said, whatever that means."

"Margaret and Adolfina are still just looking at their horses, not quite game to go in."

"We're not supposed to, remember."

Bellamy was on a middle aged grey mare, now, and turned her towards one of the jumps that had been built for Tiffany to practise over. Tasha had her catalogue in hand again, and read, "Grey Lady, twelve years old, pony club experience."

Another, and Tasha said, "It's probably Wentworth, because the description says dark brown."

"I would have called it black."

Victor and Bellamy were apparently happy with Grey Lady and Wentworth, as Victor called for volunteers, and Tiffany and Inge hopped on the horses and tried them, while Bellamy whistled up a chestnut with white markings.

"Janda," commented Tasha.

Shirley commented, awed, "He just whistles, and they come to him, like they were just waiting for the signal."

"Victor told me he reckons it's the telepathy. That he has a magical way with horses, except that it's not magic."

Tasha said, "Let's go and look at Honey again."

Valencio checked his watch, and said, "I'm supposed to be helping Dot with something."

"She won't worry if you're a bit late."

Bellamy hurried past them, and Valencio laughed, "Might be he's forgotten a job he was supposed to be doing, as well."

"I forgot. It's Friday, and he always does spell-breaking, Friday."

The unbroken horses, plus a few others unsuitable for riding, such as Gloria's Shetland, had been put in 'the paddock where nobody's allowed.' Gloria was still disregarding the instruction, and was fussing over her little black and white mare, who looked bored. Kennedy was in a corner with his back to the people, ears back, but wasn't threatening to attack.

Tasha pointed, "Just like you, when there are wizards about."

"Would you like me to bring Honey closer."

Tasha said doubtfully, "Keep away from Kennedy."

"He'll be right as long as nobody takes any notice of him," and he ducked under the top rail of the fence.

Valencio had no trouble with Honey, who seemed happy to come to the fence and be fussed over by Tasha. He brought a couple of other horses over at Margaret's request, and Carol's tall brown horse came over all by himself, until Gloria's pony, now named Revenge, bit him.

"Our very own horses," Adolfina said gleefully. "The others are nice, but having one of your own, that's special."

Carol made an announcement that evening, that Gloria had taken special responsibility for the horses, and was working on a system so that people would know which horses were available, and which horses were booked. Gloria was pleased with herself, and said that she liked the thought of being able to organise, and besides, she very much liked the horses, each of them different.

_xxdividerxx_

Two evenings later, Valencio sat in the ballroom, Ginger sound asleep on his knee, Tasha next to him. No-one was talking seriously, just informal groups, and gentle conversation. Valencio told Tasha, "Dot asked me to go to Duich with Michael today, help with errands, help carry things and so on."

Tasha said, surprised, "I thought they took care to keep you away from the wizards."

Valencio grinned, and said, "Michael took one look at me, turned to Dot, and asked whether he had to, because Valencio hits!"

Tasha laughed, and Valencio continued. "Anyway, I didn't hit, he didn't wave his wand at me, and we sat afterwards in the pub for a while, and talked."

"Anything interesting?"

"A bit about John. He told me a while ago that people try and kill him sometimes - it seems that Michael was an auror. That's like a policeman and soldier combined. One of his jobs before he went to work for Bellamy, was to be a bodyguard for him."

"What does he have to do?"

"Watch for enemies when he's out, intercept death spells if possible, stop him being attacked by his patients the moment they're cured. Some of them go berserk afterwards, when it's certain types of cures."

"It was great to hear that Tahar and Hamza had to be cured. The four kidnapped Ania - he said they did a good job of revenge. It wasn't an easy cure."

"They weren't so bad. They had a lot of difficulty mastering the Spell of Pain, and that's a good sign."

"Several of Jimmy's group died because of them, don't forget."

Valencio stroked the cat, who started purring. He remarked, "I never had a pet. My mother thought them too messy. I was planning on getting a dog, though."

"Even though she said no?"

Valencio grinned. "I was spoiled rotten. If she didn't give in easily, I'd just scream at her until she did." He was quiet, and then said sadly, "She wasn't very bright, my mother."

Tasha said, "I wrote to my parents. It was hard to know what to say, and in the end, Dot helped me. I just said I was alive and well, that I'd been a prisoner for many years, and I supplied the address for writing."

"Is it a good idea to tell family we're free?"

"But imagine not knowing whether your daughter is alive or dead!"

"I suppose that's a point."

Tasha said, "No-one wants to talk about what happened to them any more."

Valencio said, "And a good thing, too. I still agree with Gloria. Forget it, pretend it never happened, and get on with living."

Tasha disagreed, "It's part of us. We cannot deny something that's so big a part of us."

Valencio looked at her uneasily. He'd already been in trouble for just pretending to tell his story. But no-one else seemed to expect anything more of him. He said, "Didn't Honey go well today, when John rode her?"

_xxdividerxx_

A new helper moved in the following day, Melanie, who was experienced with horses, and just sixteen, barely older than the girls. She would ride the new horses, and lead rides for those still timid, since Susan was no longer doing it. Belinda liked to amble around gently on Bluejoe, and Mary dearly loved the pony called Ruby, and sang her praises to anyone who'd listen.

In a week, there was to be another gymkhana. Some were going, but others had become reluctant to go out again, including Tasha. She told Valencio he should go, though, pointing out that he was needed to drive, and some of the women liked him close as well.

Valencio laughed. "They depend on John, now. No-one cares whether I'm there or not," but added, "You're riding so well, though. Are you sure you don't want to go?"

Tasha shook her head, "Maybe when I tell my story. I think I'll be braver, then."

"You went to the horse sale."

"I needed a horse of my own."

So she could go out when she wanted to, and so could the others, if they chose. Valencio told himself that they'd seen sense, and the stories were over. Their time with the Khatabis was finished, they were all free, Tasha had her own horse, and his savings would soon grow again, so that they could leave. He very much wanted to leave, to never, ever see another wizard again. Maybe soon, Tasha would agree. He whistled that day, as he worked.

They finished the horse shelter, and started a new project, another stable block, a large barn with eight stalls on one side, twelve on the other, and rows of racks for saddles and bridles. There were thirty-four horses, and they needed a lot of looking after.

Bellamy continued with lessons for each of the four young horses every day, and was also handling the waifs and strays, brushing them, talking to them, leading them about. Kennedy was quiet with him, but with no-one else. The paddock he was in was still supposedly off limits for anyone else, but both Gloria and Valencio took little notice of it. Jimmy erected a small sign on the fence. It was now called, 'Bluey's Paddock.'

Wednesday night, Dot raised her voice at dinner, and told everyone to expect strangers the following day - a surprise Council inspection of the new buildings. She looked at worried faces, and smiled. "Don't be concerned. I'm not expecting the slightest problem."

There was not the slightest problem. Dot and Michael escorted the inspector, showing all courtesy, as well as papers that apparently convinced him that everything was in order, whether or not an 'Entry Lodge,' for instance, had only taken three days to erect.

Shirley told Valencio afterwards, "He walked straight into a tree because he was watching Tiffany, Eva and Lucy practising jumping, instead of looking where he was going. He looked absolutely awe-struck. Until, of course, he was tree-struck!"

That evening, the discussion in the ballroom became a much more detailed cover story. What they should say, and how reluctant they should be to say it. Carol thought of Tiffany and Cam, thought of other future complications, and asked whether they should make it known they couldn't have children. Some of their admirers would be wanting to have a family when they married.

Bernice put in, "When I went shopping last time, the girl on the checkout was almost rude, and I'm no longer young."

Tiffany said, "I've struck that. The men fall over themselves to be close, but there were three young women talking. I think I was meant to overhear - that we should all go back to where we came from, because men are stupid, and can't see beyond surface beauty."

"They'll be a lot less interested in us if they know we can't have children."

It was decided. Men were definitely rather stupid, couldn't see beyond surface beauty, and before a man became interested, or had interest returned, he should know that they were barren. Some of them shivered at that word, used for the first time by Gloria. Barren. Sterilised sounded better.

The men? Clarence and Valencio looked at each other, and Clarence said, "Just ordinary servants, who happened to marry one of the women." The same as they'd said before. Valencio thought it sounded feeble, but nodded. He wasn't planning on admitting anything different.

The news that the beautiful women could never have children spread like wildfire. It didn't seem to make much difference to the men, but the resentment of the local women was very much diminished.

_xdividerx_

The day of the gymkhana. The ones who were going were nearly all those who'd told their story. Some felt as if it really was a rite of passage, and now it was time to be brave. Gloria was an exception, and so were the three girls, who told each other there was no point. They were the youngest, and everyone knew what had happened to them. They planned to concentrate on the gymkhana events, and had been practising hard. Melanie was able to give them some hints, as she'd competed regularly herself when she was younger.

Valencio drove one of the horse boxes, and this time, he had a passenger, as Eva said she was sure he was a good driver, really.

Valencio said, "Of course, I'm a good driver. And I have instructions to stay behind Susan, so I can't speed if I want to." He added virtuously, "Not that I ever do, of course."

Eva wasn't too sure whether he did or not. He said not, and maybe those who said he did, were just a little over timid. There was no need for the big bus this time, as there were not enough going, though there was a need for their own small bus, which Jimmy drove. Except for complaining now and then that the Scottish liked to drive on the left, instead of sensibly on the right, he was a good driver, and no longer forgot where he was going.

The horse boxes and bus were arranged in a circle, as they had been for the previous gymkhana, and Bellamy made it his base, as he had last time.

Valencio and Jimmy stayed with those who were closer to the ring, while Susan was available near the collecting ring, to give help where needed. Melanie had assigned herself to the three girls, who were happily entering every gymkhana event there was. Cramsie McGonnigal was a judge again. He was well known in the district, and it was at his urging that the classes likely to be entered by the Loch Lomand women had rosettes awarded all the way down to eighth place.

In the collecting ring, Tiffany sat on Patrick, who danced a little. He was eleven, but a quality horse, whose full brother had competed in the Olympics just a few years before. He'd been a general use riding horse at Bellamy's place, and it was only his second gymkhana. He was loving the excitement of it. Cramsie McGonnigal watched with a smile on his face. So what if she couldn't have children? She was magnificent.

She didn't ride magnificently, falling off at the fourth jump, and rising to her feet very shakily, holding her shoulder. Patrick was upset, snuffling at her. Susan and Valencio helped her back to their circle, and Bellamy turned to her questioningly.

Susan said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Broke her collar bone, I think."

Bellamy smiled at her sympathetically, and asked, "Do you want a medj doctor, a witch healer, or if you want, I can simply fix it for you myself."

Tiffany hesitated, but then asked Bellamy to do it. He touched gently, Tiffany flinched, but then relaxed and smiled. Fixed.

There were no other mishaps, and the return trip was a happy one.

There was a surprise waiting for them. A brand new, large, glass paned building. Valencio was still unloading horses, but the girls came racing back to him. "It's a swimming pool, heated, and everyone's in swimming."

"How?"

"Bessamy Malfoy, one of the kidnapped witches. It's for us."

"Great," but Valencio turned back to the horses. They'd done a good job, and they needed looking after.

Melanie and the girls raced away, though Melanie stopped in consternation when she saw that every single one of the women swimming, was naked. While Inge, Brigitta and Evita tossed aside riding clothes, Melanie backed away, and said maybe she'd better see the horses settled first.

Valencio was amused to see that Bellamy was as hesitant as Melanie to join the naked women.

Helene laughed at him, "Why wear clothes to swim? And you're welcome to join in."

Valencio offered, "I mostly wear shorts, and I saw Jimmy with a pair of underpants."

Bellamy conjured himself some swimmers, and lowered himself into the water. They were nearly all there, and the pool was crowded.

Melanie watched disapprovingly from the side, still dressed, as a game of water polo developed.

_xdividerx_

After dinner, it was time for the ritual of the gathering in the ballroom. There was no talk of trauma, no talk of living life on a knife edge, no talk of first use. Instead, there was some boasting. Maharni, who'd ridden in a public event for the first time, the girls who'd beaten up Ricky, because he'd tried to kiss Inge when she said no, and Helene said that Emma had faced down Cilius Malfoy, and even Dot had said that he was known as a great wizard and a formidable man.

They explained for those who hadn't been there. "Cilius Malfoy, he was. Tall, long, pale blonde hair, robes, and he looked down his nose and asked Emma whether we were Bellamy's medj. And Emma didn't flinch, and said we were _nobody's_ medj."

Tasha said to Valencio, "Lucky you weren't there. You probably would have hit him and we wouldn't have our swimming pool."

Valencio said doubtfully, "I probably wouldn't have hit him," and he smiled at Emma, "But it sounds as if you handled him a lot better than I would have."

"Bessamy had her baby with her, and let us hold him."

"She was one of the witches the Khatabis kidnapped as a breeder. It was a Khatabi baby."

"She called him Draco."

Gloria was in Bluey's paddock the following day, brushing Revenge. She asked him casually, "Notice I haven't been dragging you off to my bedroom lately?"

Valencio said, equally casually, "Any time, of course."

"I think Tasha would prefer you didn't, so I found someone else."

Valencio was astounded. "Who?" Bellamy? Michael?

Gloria smiled, "He's about sixteen, seems to have no friends, and nearly falls over with pleasure whenever I appear."

"Well, obviously he'd fall over in pleasure, but who is he, and how did you meet him?"

"His name's Craig, and Maharni and Bridget have also tried him."

Valencio grinned, and warned, "Don't overwork the poor boy."

Valencio was feeling more relaxed in the ballrooms in the evenings these days. The talk was only general, though he wished that some would stop coming. 100% attendance was surely not needed. There were other things to do in the evening than talk in the ballroom, with the door firmly shut.

The dog they'd brought home from the animal shelter in January, now belonged to Sheila, no longer cringed, but instead made a nuisance of himself, with a continually wagging tail, wanting to greet every single person he saw. Just a little _too_ friendly, many of them felt. He wasn't reliably house-trained, either. Sheila said she was going to ask John to speak to him. The horses understood him, and maybe the little dog would, as well.

_xdividerx_

The girls were thinking about their futures. They would shortly be sixteen, and would have missed four years of normal schooling. Everyone else their own age went to school. They took their courage into their hands, and made an appointment to talk to the headmistress of Bogridge Highschool, then begged Valencio to drive them in. He agreed casually, only saying to Clarence and Jimmy, still working on the new barn, that he'd probably be an hour or so.

Inge said, "We asked John yesterday, but he reminded us he had to work Fridays, so we decided you'd do."

Valencio said, "He can't drive, remember."

"We were going to ask him to come in with us. We're a little bit shy."

"Do you want me to come in, even if I am second best?"

Inge giggled, and said, "You're not really second best, just that John's good luck, and I don't think you are."

Brigitta said, "Please come in with us. Her name's Agnes O'Brien, and she sounded cross."

"Sure, I'll come in with you. But it seems to me that a girl who can twist a wizard around her little finger, should not be frightened of a perfectly ordinary woman."

Brigitta gave him an uncertain smile. She may have been able to gain small concessions from Abensur, but had never known just how much he'd grown to care for her.

Inge, Brigitta, and Evita. They answered Mrs. O'Brien's questions timidly, until she pressed too far, and Valencio intervened firmly. "All you need to know is that they've missed a few years formal school, and would like to resume at an appropriate level."

"You have guardians?"

The girls were prepared for this, and gave the name of a government department, and Carol Kennedy as the contact.

Agnes O'Brien said kindly, "I think it best if you do the final two years of school, though it does mean you'll be with students a year or so younger than yourselves. Those two years are linked, and will give you what's known as your CHI Diploma, often referred to as your _Chid._" She smiled. "The education department disapproves of the abbreviation, and I expect the name will be changed within the next year or so. It gets changed every few years, but it all means the same thing."

Inge asked, "When should we start?"

"You can start now, just to get used to things, or you can start at the beginning of the new school year, which will be August 28th."

Inge looked at the others, and said, "August? Might be better August."

Brigitta said, "Will you drive us in every day, Valencio?"

Valencio said, "No doubt someone will." He expected to be gone by then, working somewhere, independent.

Brigitta said beseechingly, "We'll really need you."

Valencio said, "Are there books or something they could read, just as preparation?"

"Good idea. I'll have the individual subject teachers make up a list." She looked penetratingly at Valencio. "What about you, Valencio? Do you want to go back to school?"

Valencio said, "Vince. My name is Vince McDonald, and I think I'm rather old for school!"

"Have you missed schooling as well?"

Valencio shrugged, but Inge said, "You were twelve, weren't you?"

Valencio frowned at her, and she muttered, "Sorry."

The headmistress said calmly, "I'll send some information about correspondence for any older ones among you that might be interested, and also, in Duich, they run what they call a bridging course. It's for those who didn't complete highschool, but want to go on to higher education."

Valencio was interested, and said, "Ingid told me once she wanted to be a vet when she was a girl."

"How old is Ingrid?"

"About twenty, I think."

"It might be just the thing. I'll get some information, and send it on." She smiled at the girls. "It will be a pleasure having you here."

Brigitta smiled back, but Inge was still looking a little apprehensively at Valencio. She shouldn't have said that. The story was that the men had been just servants, not that they were abducted children.

_xdividerx_

At the beginning of April, at dinner, Bellamy stood for a moment, and said that if anyone wanted, he could take just one, on an excursion Monday, apparating, when he helped his neighbour sort out some horses. "Mind, Marcus Pickering has long hair, almost always wears a cape or full robes, and looks far more like a great wizard than I do. Some of you might not like that!"

Gloria said, "Isn't that the one who married Susan?"

"That's the one. I've never let him come here. I know you don't like wizards very much."

Gloria nodded casually. "Hate wizards, but I'd like to go."

Carol took charge. "All those who want to go, give me your names, and we'll select at random."

When names were drawn from a hat that evening in the ballroom, it was Astra's name that was pulled out. She looked at Carol, who was smiling at her, and quietly asked if she could have the chocolates out.

Valencio swore to himself. The stories were heartbreaking, what was done to the women he cared about - it made him feel horrible, churned up. Yet, each woman who did it, seemed relieved, as if it helped them. Tasha took Valencio's hand. He was not the only one who found it difficult.

Astra started. "It was Brahim," she started. "I was the one straight after Tiffany, I think, and I was never given a chance to fight or run, but I have a very vague memory of a monitor being used on my pelvis, before I was taken. There may even have been a physical examination, but I'm not sure."

She hesitated, and Carol spoke calmly, hoping that she wouldn't back out. "After being whipped, I imagine Pervez would have checked very carefully."

Then after Astra, there was Angini, then Amber, one after another, all tall, blonde, curvy women. Favourites of Brahim, who demanded virgins, and whose fury at Tiffany not being a virgin had led to her severe punishment, and the whipping of Pervez. That part was good, that Pervez had been whipped. Most of those taken in the last twenty years, had been taken by Pervez.

Carol handed around the chocolates. They were working again, and it wasn't only the ones who'd told their stories who needed the comfort, both of the closeness of their friends, and also of the chocolates, which had assumed the symbolism of a reward for a difficult task, bravely undertaken.

Belinda ate a lot of chocolates that night. Brahim. She guessed she had never really loved him, but she'd tried. But she was just one of a series, never of the slightest real importance to him. She supposed she should tell her story. What did it matter? She was helpless to change things, and the others thought they all should do it.

Over the next two evenings, there were more stories, the easier ones. Exotic and graceful Kwai-Jeeha, for instance, had fallen in love with a dashing young man with a dark complexion and flashing white teeth. But instead of marrying her, as promised, she found herself his Favorite, but a prisoner.

"I guess I partly forgave him. At least, I stopped abusing him, and we made love nearly every night, except when he had to do a job mating a Khatabi. He was one of those with extra power, and was wanted as a sire. The worst for me was that I itched to get out of the Enclosure, but even though I knew Kuwaja's bedroom, and the route to it, there was nothing else but the prison. And at that, I knew I was lucky, as I know most were only taken to the working bedrooms off the corridor."

Gloria said, "Prison! It drove me mad. The day we were taken to new enclosures, was excitement."

Shirley said, "The boredom! And if anyone complained, it could have been deemed insolence. And they never tolerated that, not from us. Only Valencio mostly got away with that."

Tasha glanced at him, squeezed his hand, and said, "Not always."

Valencio was fuming. Bloody selfish Khatabis. Kwai-Jeeha, who'd loved, and planned to marry, and a slave for how many years? Anirage. Wizardkind. They should be exterminated from the earth. He wore an impassive face, and not even Tasha knew the anger that still filled him.

Kwai-Jeeha continued. "That's how it was for me for a long time, kept in a prison for the use of one selfish man, who used to say he loved me. Then there was a big row among the men - a lot of fighting, and Kuwaja was one of those killed. I was nearly forty by then, and he'd always told me I would have the choice if that happened, whether to go into Enclosure 2, or stay. But Nusa'pei said I was to stay. When things settled down, he came for me himself, and used me frequently, the first man ever, aside from Kuwaja. There were a lot of Khatabi-Richi, as well, though I can't remember any Khatabi. It was another three years before I was moved over."

_xxdividerxx_

Monday, Astra smiled confidently at Bellamy, and moved under his arm to be instantly conveyed to his neighbour's place. She had faced a difficult task, and felt she could be more brave now. Once they'd all done it, she would get a job, leave, and make a new life. But she thought she had to wait until they'd all done it first. There were so many who preferred not to face up to the past, and she knew that many stories were far worse than her own.

She was returned mid afternoon, looking a little weary, but pleased to share her experiences.

"Paul's wife is Helena and she's medj, and said that wizards and medj were just the same really... "She said that John's still lonely because of Pat. Pat was medj, too. She said he needs another wife, but he's too different... "They yell at each other every year, him and Paul, because they disagree on which horses to keep, but they're really very good friends."

"What were the horses like?"

"Beautiful horses, but I was sick to death of them by the end of the day. Helena showed me a brand new foal, the first of the season. It was nearly black, but she said the Andalusians are mostly like that, and then get lighter coloured every year, and the old ones are mostly white."

"Reya's still quite dark."

Valencio asked, "What was apparation like?"

Astra said, "Like nothing. Just that one instant I was here, and the next instant I was there." She grinned, "Magic. It has its advantages."

Valencio shuddered, "I don't fancy it!"

Tasha laughed at him, "I'm braver than you are then! I've done it."

Valencio grinned at her, "You were always braver than me."

Astra was surprised, "When did you do it, Tasha?"

"He took me shopping once, remember?"

Valencio asked Astra, "Where is his home?"

"He didn't tell me. He said it was hidden, so no-one tried to go there and kill him."

Inge said, "Melanie told me that his staff all do Defence Practice, the wizards with their wands, and the medj and Cam-Medj with rifles and pistols."

Valencio asked, "So how many medj staff does he have?"

"Just Victor and Oliver, I think."

"Victor? He didn't mention that."

"Maybe it's a matter for shame? You know how they always called us dirt-people, as if we were indeed just dirt."

"The Malfoy wizard was the same, remember. He looked at us as if we were insects."

"I think Susan's husband might be like that as well. Long, blonde hair, and dressed in full robes that flapped about in the wind, but the horses didn't seem to worry. He didn't speak to me, except he was polite when he was introduced."

"Why do you think then?"

"His mum was looking at him very sternly, as if she thought he might say something rude."

"I'd never really thought of wizards having mums like anyone else..."

"The Khatabi wizards didn't, remember. Just mothers who were told who they were to mate with."

"Always thought it so weird..."

Afterwards, Valencio went to Dot's office. She looked up from some papers, and smiled at him. Valencio asked baldly, "When you do Defence Practice, and when aurors train, who do they practise on?"

Dot's smile faded, and she answered quietly, "Mostly, the aurors practise on each other. Things like disarming, stunning and paralysis. Things that don't hurt. At home, we mostly use sheep, but they're never hurt, either. The one they don't like much is being tied up, but they're willing to put up with it, because they're given special treats afterwards. There's a couple of dozen, and they're fat and very tame."

"Vidi-curses, donkey ears and so forth?"

"Not officially practised. Not taught in school. Used quite frequently, usually by young wizards on each other, sometimes children, acting the fool."

"The serious curses?"

"Such as?"

"Death, torture, various crippling curses..."

"Illegal."

Valencio still leaned against the wall, regarding her. Dot didn't flinch, but stated firmly, "What the Khatabis did, it is not practised in civilised countries. It upsets me that you think we might do things like that."

Valencio apologised, suddenly quite sure that she was telling the truth, and admitted, "I think I'm the only one it even occurred to. The others are more trusting."

Dot smiled, and said, "There's a certain sheep we call Dora. She adores the treats, and pushes aside any others in front of her when we collect a few for Defence Practice. She came when the RSPCA asked us to look after hundreds of sheep and other stock that had been neglected. They carried several years' wool growth, which disguised the fact they'd been starving to death. The boss spent the next few days sitting in the paddock getting them to eat, getting them accustomed to humans again. She had a lamb, and he saved the lamb, as well. He's a good man. You should trust him."

Valencio smiled ruefully, "Of course I should. I know I should, and mostly I do. Just sometimes, when someone said all his staff do Defence Practice, it made me doubt."

"There's no need to doubt. The boss is a better man than any other I've ever known. And don't tell Michael I said that. Michael's a good man, as well, but there's no-one like the boss."

Valencio nodded, and said, "I'm planning on a trip to Duich tomorrow. Any errands you want?"

"A couple," and Dot checked a list, and wrote down details of a certain item required. "And could you return the films, and select a few more?"

"I'll see if I can coax someone to go with me, then. It might be a lure."

John, who'd sat in a paddock, coaxing a starving sheep to eat. Of course he should trust him. Soft-hearted. And he was looking after them, looking after them all. They hadn't been dumped to look after themselves, and they hadn't been killed. Valencio felt guilty that somehow, even now, he couldn't quite trust.

_xxdividerxx_

That evening, Margaret, Hilde, and Veronica all told their stories. Valencio was thoroughly upset again. Margaret, who was his friend. She'd been just twelve, and bloody Hicham had hurt her. Hicham should never have a virgin, maybe should never have sex at all. He was far too rough! Without either the intelligence or imagination to put himself in the place of the person he inflicted himself on.

He went to Duich in the morning, as promised, alone, but was back in time to see a horse box arrive. Four new horses from Bellamy's place. Sherese, who was heavy in foal. Nigretta, a black Andalusian, on loan. She'd slipped her foal, and was to be rested from breeding for a full year. Bellamy was to break her in so they could ride her. Madigan, a big black horse, who belonged to Bellamy himself. There were strict instructions about Madigan. They were firmly told he was unsafe to ride for anyone but the boss. The last was a pretty mare, almost red chestnut, with splashes of white all over her.

"Sherese and Madigan in the paddock where no-one's allowed to go," said Bellamy, looking severely at Gloria, who smiled blithely back. "Also Nigretta because she's not yet broken in, but Annie Oakley can go straight in with the other riding horses."

"Isn't it time I put Reya in with the other mares in foal?" asked Melanie, and Bellamy nodded.

He smiled at Brigitta. "Foals in about a fortnight, Reya and Sherese, but I don't know when Revenge is due."

"Revenge!" exclaimed Gloria.

He nodded, and she ducked through the rails of the paddock where no-one was allowed to go, and stroked her cranky piebald pony, who whickered at her, and then stamped her foot at Bellamy. Madigan nudged at him, and he nearly fell over. Melanie said, "I can look after the settling of the horses if you want to go for a ride."

Bellamy grinned, swung up on the bare back of his horse, who pranced, arching his neck, before moving off, quite slowly at first, but then galloping down the drive, but turning right, along the fence line where a track was being worn that ran right around the perimeter of the property. His two dogs streaked off after him, but taking cunning short cuts now and then.

Tasha sighed, "He's wonderful, isn't he?"

There was a chorus of agreement from the women around, but Valencio only went to Sherese, and patted, before leading her to Bluey's Paddock. She moved with a sedate dignity.

Gloria said, "Melanie told me there were four mares went to find a stallion, and Madigan was with them, because he thinks he's still a stallion, and likes to look after his mares, except he can't do the job of mating them."

Valencio mused, "I wonder what a horse thinks when he gets gelded."

Gloria asked, "What were you going to do, if it happened?"

"Kill every wizard in sight, and then myself." He answered without hesitation, a decision made long ago.

Gloria said, "There would still have been things worth living for."

"I stopped looking for freedom quite early on. I didn't think life in the enclosure was worth living." In spite of himself, he'd told more than he'd intended, and now gave a slightly hunted look at Gloria, and went back to the group just standing around Nigretta, admiring.

_xxdividerxx_

There were more stories in the next evenings. Valencio hated it more and more. It was hard to sleep, sometimes, and he'd wander in the night. It was so peaceful, and the stars were bright out here, so far from the big cities. Even when it was misty with rain, he knew the tracks very well, and didn't find the darkness too much of a problem.

One night, he was sitting leaning against the boundary fence, halfway up a mountain. He looked around as he heard more footsteps, coming quite quickly. John. He'd seen him before, wandering around at night. He had nightmares sometimes, Bernice said.

Bellamy stood a moment, regarding him, before asking, "Want some company?"

Valencio was pleased, and indicated, "Have a piece of wet grass."

Bellamy dropped down beside him, leaned against the fence, and commented, "I used to learn about the stars at school. Never remembered much of it, though."

"Kaede was my teacher, mostly. But she didn't know the stars over Morocco. Said they were different to her home." He grinned, "I suggested to Narzu-Han one night that he should take me outside the Compound to have a look at the stars. But he only laughed."

Bellamy asked, smiling, "To look at the stars?"

"Most unlikely to give me a chance to do anything else." He smiled. He might have had a go. Used to think - if only. He could have knocked out Narzu-Han, broken his wand, stolen his robes, and fled to Elbarada, to the Western sector. His rueful smile turned to a grin. Narzu-Han would have had to face the gate guards, naked, and without his slave. A very pleasant thought. There were always two guards whenever he was outside the enclosure, even on guard outside the locked bedroom, three for a while. He'd never had a chance, and he leaned back his head, suddenly sad. He was free now, maybe, but he was still irretrievably dirtied.

John glanced at him, and said, "Tasha can start riding Honey soon. Melanie's doing well with her."

"She told me you're great at getting them started, just don't bother with regular aides."

"Horses know what I want. Even before I knew I had any talent for telepathy, I knew I had an exceptional communication with animals."

"It's probably why you reminded me of Yiko, right at the start. He had telepathy."

Bellamy said, "It's not ethical to use it, I feel, except when essential. The Khatabis didn't worry about that, of course."

"No, they wouldn't." Valencio was wondering just how much Narzu-Han had known what he was thinking. He'd felt it when Yiko had looked at his mind once, but neither had done it like that since. Though sometimes, he'd felt enough to make him uneasy. He thought he'd been able to keep some secrets, but Narzu-Han had known about Tasha when he wasn't supposed to.

Bellamy asked, "How's the stable block going?"

"We've redesigned it a bit, like you said, but we're going well. Ready for the roof to go on soon." They were making the roof separately, and Bellamy was simply to put it into position with magic, as soon as they were ready.

Valencio said awkwardly, "Thank you for everything you've done for us. Just because we seem to just accept everything without question... It doesn't mean we don't realise how much we owe to you."

Bellamy seemed a touch awkward as well, and said, "I appreciate your words, but there's no need to feel under any sort of an obligation. Anirage owes you whatever you need."

Valencio glanced at him, and knew that John was feeling sad, as well.

Bellamy said casually, "You've got a cat, I understand, your horse, I'm surprised you don't have a dog. There's some pups at home, at least three quarters Border Collie. Would you like one?"

Valencio was delighted, and said, "I hadn't even thought of it, but yes, I'd love to have a dog."

"A couple of months yet, they're only two weeks old. Archie's dog."

"There are a lot of you at your home?"

"Archie's Oliver's grandfather, there's Peter, his father, his mother, Gabrielle, and there's a couple of secretaries, counting Dot, and a few security guards..." Bellamy smiled, "It's home, and even when my daughters complain I'm not there often enough these days, it's my home. The people, the animals, they're all part of it."

They turned and started to walk together, back down the mountain, still talking.

Tasha was pleased with the idea of having a pup from Bellamy's place. "He said at least three quarters Border Collie."

Tasha smiled, "He's not worried about his dogs being pure-bred."

"He told me that there are rounds made every year, anti-conception spells, and every year, it seems that at least one cat manages to avoid it, and now and then a dog. He says he never worries. He likes a lot of animals around."

"There's another child, too. Alison's the name of his other secretary, and her little boy's the same age as Robin. She was in her forties when she had him. I'm forty now, but I can't have a child."

"Maybe we could adopt one, if you want one."

"Do you want one?"

Valencio turned his back for a moment, opening the door for Ginger to come in. To be responsible for a child who might be prey? But ordinary men didn't imprison children for sex, just the wizards. And wizards were a different species. He said, "Maybe we could adopt a little girl..."

Quite a few of the women had been thinking about that. They'd had other things on their minds when they'd felt the uncomfortable feel of having wombs vanished, and many had not been told what the spell was.

"One thing," said Veronica, "We don't have periods, and that's a blessing."

Valencio asked, puzzled, "Periods?"

Veronica said, "I'll explain later, but only to the women who came as children, and don't know. It's something that men are supposed to know about, and tactfully ignore."

Valencio looked puzzled at Tasha, who said, "I'll tell you later."

Shirley said, "About children. Just in case, I asked Dot if we could be healed by magic. But she said that even the great wizard himself can't do something like that."

"The great wizard himself? That's John?"

"John. She said it was a bit of a saying, like, for instance, someone might have the courage of the great wizard himself, or someone's a descendant of the great wizard himself."

A descendant! He was very old, of course. They mostly tended to forget that.

Tasha turned to Clarence and Valencio, and asked, "What about you? Were you ever sterilised?"

Valencio shook his head, but Clarence said, "Myself, and Giuliano. Many years ago, practice for Zola when she was training. It didn't seem all that important then, especially since not long afterwards, three quarters of Enclosure 2 were taken away and didn't come back."

"What about you, Jimmy?"

"Not that I know of."

The following morning, early, Clarence and Valencio were already at work on the stable block when Jimmy and Bellamy joined them. Valencio saw them, and said, "Ready for the roof probably in about three weeks."

Clarence said, "Getting the electricity on will cost a bit, but Dot said not to worry about how much it cost."

For the first time, Valencio asked, "Just where is the money coming from for all this?"

Bellamy answered casually, "Donations from just about all the civilised wizarding nations of the world. Investments provide income enough, though there's sometimes not enough for luxuries."

"The swimming pool?"

"All Cilius Malfoy, though I suspect it was Bessamy who was the instigator. She can twist him around her little finger." He grinned, "Even when everyone else walks around him on tiptoe."

"He spoke to Emma, and she stood up to him, and told him we were not Bellamy's medj, we were _nobody's_ medj."

"Emma!"

"You'd be surprised. Emma has an inner strength, much more than I have, for instance."

Bellamy spoke seriously, "If it wasn't for the cool and courageous way you played the Khatabis, there might only have been a dozen or so new young women to rescue. I think you should take a very great pride in that!"

"It was mostly Carol and Helene, and the young girls, especially Brigitta. The best I could do was not even to look sideways at them!"

"He does an awful lot for us," Clarence commented, as he watched him leave, laughing as Inge ran to him and grabbed his hand.

"Dot said it keeps him out of trouble. That he still misses his wife, and does stupid things, like provoking a street gang into attacking him, so he gets to fight!"

Jimmy passed, three planks of wood on a shoulder. "Hey, Jimmy. You had a fight with him? Would he be able to fight half a dozen, and win?"

Jimmy grinned. "He was more surprised than I was, when he beat me so easily, but half a dozen?"

In the early hours of the morning, Tasha and Valencio woke to a hurried knocking on their door. "It's Revenge," Inge panted. "Gloria says she knows you'll want to see her foal."

Valencio was casually nude at the door, and turned to Tasha, just emerging from the bedroom. "Do we want to see Revenge's foal?"

Tasha said, "Of course we do," smiling at Inge.

Inge looked at Valencio disapprovingly, "Melanie says that it's not manners to be naked in front of the opposite sex."

"But we were in bed. Are we supposed to wear clothes in bed?"

"You used to, didn't you? Before you were taken?"

Valencio said, remembering, "I guess I did."

Tasha, as naked as Valencio, said, "We'll have to buy dressing gowns or something."

They found Bellamy stroking the little mare, who was complaining to him.

Gloria said, "We all have to keep right back. She only wants John."

Tasha said, "I thought she always bit John."

"She wants him now."

There was a growing crowd of women, as well as Valencio and Clarence. They stayed respectfully back as Revenge accepted the soothing petting of Bellamy, and finally lay down and without further fuss, delivered a little black and white colt foal.

Bellamy beamed as the foal was licked clean, raised its head, started to get to its feet, then shook its head and fell over again. There was an awed silence. They were still there when the piebald foal was nuzzled to his feet and coaxed to have a drink. The mare licked her baby's rump, very proud. The boss stood close, still with a broad grin. She lay back her ears and bit him very hard on the bottom, so that he yelled and quickly retreated.

The women laughed at him, and he rubbed his bottom, and complained, "I didn't get her into foal, and she blames me for the pain!"

Gloria asked, "Do you need anti-bruising lotion?"

He rubbed his bottom again, tenderly, and said that he wouldn't be able to sit down, otherwise, let alone ride the horses.

They were laughing, but being very bossy, ordering him to drop his pants, and be treated. He held out his hand for the lotion, and said firmly that he could do it himself. Gloria put it behind her back, and told him not to be so silly. He was to drop his pants, and he could choose which of them would put on the lotion.

He cast his eyes around, and said, "Clarence!"

But Clarence backed off, and it was finally Helene who rubbed in the purple lotion, as he leaned over, exposing the injured bottom, watched by a dozen laughing women and two laughing men.

"Bloody, bossy women!" he complained to Valencio after.

Valencio grinned at him, "You enjoyed it! You didn't have to do as they said."

Bellamy answered, grinning back, "I always do what women tell me. I've found it to be the best policy in life."

Valencio agreed. He always did what the women told him, as well.

In the next days, both Reya and Sherese had their foals, but quietly, and unobserved. Three foals, admired many times a day. To most of the women, it seemed so very, very special.

_xchapter endx_


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 14:_

In the middle of April, Bellamy was absent a couple of days, made a brief appearance to collect his dogs, then Tasha and Valencio heard that he wouldn't be there for a while, that he was working on something else.

Inge had the news first, as she often did. "Dot said it was an invention, and would doubtless make him more money. She said it's where he gets most of his income - from inventions, and from books. He just disappears into his workshop, forgets everything else, and emerges in a few days or a few weeks, and then he leaves it to them to arrange manufacture and marketing."

"He's written books?"

"I didn't realise. There's ones in the library by Henry Bellamy, and that's him."

There was more talk at dinner time. Farfalla was thrilled. "It's luggage for wizards. They just have to tap it with a wand, say, 'Home,' and it's home. A bit like the App. Box, except that the starting point can be anywhere."

"Very handy," said Valencio, who was often called on to help carry things.

Farfalla beamed at him. "He's going to call it the Farfalla. He asked me."

A week later, Connie and Mary frowned over an article in the wizard newspaper. The news was that Morocco was accepted into the AOCWN. There was little explanation - it seemed the meaning of the initials was assumed knowledge. The great wizard had been in attendance, it was noted. Madam Bouchra Khatabi-Vrie was the Pasquila-Kha, their head of wizardry.

"There's an editorial," said Connie, and they looked for it, and learned more. A brand new system of law, a hospital, a school, law enforcement, and a Central Committee. _Credit must go to the co-leaders of the powerful Khatabi Family of Morocco, Zhor and Najia Khatabi, who now lead a nation into the ranks of modern civilised wizarding nations._

Connie remarked, "I wonder if that means they've stopped duelling at the drop of a hat."

The newspaper went the rounds. Dot and Michael were unable to add much information, and they didn't see Bellamy for weeks.

_xdividerx_

The work on the new barn was stalled. They needed Bellamy for the new roof, and Michael said that he couldn't do it. "You need a team of highly experienced workmen for something like that - or the great wizard."

Clarence said regretfully, "Looks like we won't get the roof on the new barn for a few weeks."

There was another gymkhana, and this time, Bellamy wasn't there, but Dot and Michael and Melanie were, and in any case, they were becoming far more independent.

Tiffany didn't fall off this time, Astra won a first in the showing, with the pretty mare, Annie Oakley, and the girls had a wonderful time. There were a few now feeling ready to start spreading their wings, but the worst stories were yet to come, and they waited. Every evening, they gathered, but the talk was casual, and Carol was wondering if some of them could ever bring themselves to talk of it. She had begun to think it was very, very important. Whether it was because people told the stories when they were ready to move on, or because telling the stories enabled them to move on, she was positive she saw a difference in each one who took the symbolic chocolate, and started talking.

Tasha didn't go to the gymkhana, explaining to Valencio that she had to tell her story, and every evening, she tried, and just couldn't quite make a start. "Afterwards," she told him. "Afterwards, I can live again."

Valencio said tentatively, "It's not really necessary." He didn't know if he wanted to hear Tasha's story. She was the woman he loved, and the bastards had hurt her.

Tasha looked at him, troubled, and said, "I think we have to talk. Talking lets the poison out, and the old wounds start to heal."

"How was Honey today?"

Tasha said enthusiastically, "An easier ride all the time. I love her, and it's so wonderful to have my own horse."

Valencio said, "See, it's not really necessary, is it? You can enjoy life. Just forget it ever happened."

"It happened, and it's a part of me. Tonight. I'm sure I can do it tonight."

But it was two nights later that she started speaking in a low voice. Many didn't even realise at first, until there were hushing sounds. Valencio was taken by surprise, at the other end of the room, talking to Margaret and Shirley.

"...in Paris. I was a prisoner for weeks. I don't think I was taken for the enclosures, just for temporary use - a convenience. I never saw magic in Paris. We were prisoners, but didn't know they were anything but cruel bullies. We had no numbers. Ahjmed was there, and I saw a girl he raped. Camille was nine, and had been there two weeks already when I was pushed into the locked room. She was crushed, spiritless. He kept her another week, and I think she was released.

"There were usually only about three or four of us, and some were only kept a few days. We were not looked after at all, just cans of food and a can opener, not even any way to heat it. A shower and toilet, and a large bedroom. Enough blankets, no sheets, and four single beds. When one came for us, he just told us to strip, take a shower, and then took the girl to the bedroom next door, and used her. Resistance was punished with beatings. One who seriously resisted, was whipped, but they didn't break the skin, and a couple of days later, I think she was released as well. Too much trouble maybe. I'm pretty sure they were released, not killed. If they were going to kill them, they wouldn't have taken so much trouble not to use magic in front of us.

"I was thirteen, a tourist. I didn't know English, and very little French. No Arabic, of course. But there was little need when dealing with the wizards. It was always fairly obvious what was wanted. One called Fawaz started wanting me each time. He was Khatabi, only about twenty-one, but I was not a Favourite or anything at that time, just used by anyone who wanted. No appointments, just that a couple would come in, one just for safety, I think, and they'd point, and if you didn't take off your clothes and have a shower straightaway, there would be punishment.

"I was started fairly easily, a man who was quite old, and didn't hurt much. I never knew his name, though I suppose I might have been told. Usually only one or two a night, and then Fawaz wanted me all the time, and the others stopped, letting him have his way.

"Then one day, me and another girl were inspected very closely, by someone we hadn't seen before. Fawaz was there, waiting, I think, hopefully. I was quiet and obedient. I thought it was safer. But Sabine started screaming, and fighting, clawing at faces. The man, whom I later knew was Pervez, shook his head, and she was taken back to the prison room. She was probably released. She took the right gamble.

"Fawaz was pleased with what he said, and I was taken to a different room, by myself. Pervez took out his wand, and I was No. 39, and while I was still gaping, he aimed his wand again, the Nala Spell. I started crying, and Fawaz came to me, and comforted. Pervez put on the wristband then. I was the Favourite of Fawaz, and Pervez took me to Morocco the day after, where I was untouched until Fawaz arrived a couple of weeks later.

"Fawaz always treated me gently, except for once, when I begged to be free, crying, screaming at him. He slapped my face and told me I would never be free. It was the first time he'd hit me, and I just stared at him. He pointed at the bed, and when I didn't obey, he vanished my clothes, and pointed again. I told him again I wanted to be free. It was hard to understand him sometimes, though I was beginning to know both English and Arabic. Anyway, he paralysed me, put me on the bed, and raped me. He was just as ruthless as any of them.

"I suppose he thought it was just a lesson I had to learn, as he came for me the following night, and treated me just exactly as usual, as if he was a gentle lover. I knew different."

There was something Tasha especially wanted to say. For Valencio, who'd never been able to admit that he'd found pleasure.

"The first days were awful, also when I realised that if only I'd screamed and carried on when Pervez inspected, I might have been released. There was only Adelbert, at first, whom I could speak to, as at least I knew German. There was another thing. I knew he wasn't really a gentle lover. I knew that he was a rapist the same as any of them. I guess my body didn't know that. It happened really suddenly. I became very excited, and then climaxed. Fawaz, the bastard, looked absolutely smug, but I was furious with myself. I wanted to be dead. Kwai-Jeeha found me crying, and knew immediately, I think. She explained that it was normal for a healthy body to enjoy sex. That people, men and women both, were designed to enjoy sex.

"I relaxed a bit then, enjoyed it with Fawaz, who owned me for three years, until he was killed in a duel. Often enjoyed it with others. Enjoying it made it far easier to endure the life. As I became more experienced, they didn't need to last long, or give me much consideration."

She smiled suddenly, with humour, "I never made it so far as to enjoy it with Haru, who takes about thirty seconds, but even Botan gave me pleasure. He thought he was hurting when he went hard, and for a long time. We all know he liked to hurt. But he seldom hurt me, and when you're really excited, a bit of minor hurt doesn't seem to matter as much. And anyway, Nusa'pei knew about Botan, and I think tried to give an easy time for a few days after."

She finished, "That's all I wanted to say. Especially that we should not be ashamed if the bastards sometimes gave us pleasure."

Valencio missed the message. It was alright for the women to enjoy it, and he was glad that it hadn't been too bad for Tasha. He'd dreaded hearing a story of violent rape, but she said that she was started 'fairly easily.'

Tasha accepted several chocolates, went to Valencio, and Margaret gave up her seat for her, so she could sit very close to Valencio, wanting the comfort of the man she loved. She told him, "You have to eat chocolate tonight, as well."

Valencio ate chocolate.

Shirley stood, and asked, "Can I tell my story now?"

There was a hush. Shirley said, "You've heard my story before, several times, by different people. I was ten, just another young girl violently raped by Ahjmed. He kept me only a few weeks, and then another Khatabi tried me. I was his for a few weeks, but then I was on general duties. I never enjoyed it, and though I'm pretty enough, I was not in nearly as much demand as some others. I went into Enclosure 2 when I was only in my early twenties, much earlier than some others. And while I loathed having bloody young boys putting spells on me, it was much better than having to lie still for the same sort of bloody young boys to rape me."

Kaliska said, "I was the same, except that on the second night, when I was supposed to be sleeping in the corner of his room, after the rape, I waited until he was asleep, and then tried to kill him by hitting him on the head with a big vase, then slashing at his throat when it broke."

She grinned. "I have a feeling that it might have been a valuable antique, as it was quite beautiful. Anyway, he woke in time, punished, but oddly, not severely, repaired the vase with magic, and kept me as Favourite for a long time, just that from then on, I was restrained when in his room, with an ankle cuff locked to a bolt on the floor. He didn't hurt much after the first two nights, and I stopped being so frightened of him after a while."

That was three more. Carol was very pleased.

_xdividerx_

A few days later, in the magazine for Ania, _Pat's Mag_, there was a lengthy story about John Bellamy's 'harem.' Eighty women, every single one of them beautiful, it said. He would make an inspection every evening, and make his choice, except that sometimes he had two or three. And there were sly hints about his reputed prowess in bed.

Some of the women thought it hilarious. Others were indignant. Valencio suggested again to Tasha that it was time to go. "We've both told our stories."

Tasha answered, "There are many who have not yet been able to tell their stories. We need to be here for them. Only when it's over."

Valencio said grumpily, "We might be here ten years before it's over," and he went to talk to Madigan, who was missing his owner, he thought.

But Emma came to him that day, wanting him to ride with her, and admitting she was frightened all the time. "More than I was before Christmas, I think. Connie and Mary as well."

So Valencio saddled some horses, and rode with Emma, Connie, Mary and Thierry, all of whom rode better than he did himself, and all of whom wanted him, to make them feel safer.

Emma asked him, afterward, almost whispering, "You're not going to leave, are you? I need you, and you said you'd be my brother."

"One day, you might want to leave yourself."

Emma shook her head, "I'm like Connie and Mary. This is home, and this is where I'm comfortable. I'm too much damaged. I can't face Outside."

Valencio kissed her, and said, "Tell me when you can do without me. I won't leave until then."

_xdividerx_

Connie, Mary and Emma had a new project, a memorial track, 'Pamela's Track.' For all those victims of Khatabis who died there. They needed the help of the men, and were enthusiastic. "We've worked out the route, but places need to be cleared, and there's lots of little memorials to work out."

Clarence and Jimmy were keen, but Valencio apologised and said he had an urgent errand for Dot. Five minutes later, he saw Clarence and Jimmy sitting on two of the ponies, and following the three women. Valencio checked his list. He always had errands to do when he went into town, but there was nothing urgent. Paints again for Mary, a particular book requested by Mildred, and when he asked, Dot sent him to Michael, who had a couple of items he needed as well.

He supposed it was a good thing to do, a memorial track. Did any others get so furious they wanted to return to Morocco, just in order to take a machine gun to the whole bloody Compound of Khatabi bloody wizards? He chose a car, and drove to Duich. He drove a little too fast.

Clarence and Jimmy spent a lot of time over the next few weeks helping with the memorial track, and in the ballroom at night, they were often occupied with engraving writing on copper plaques. After the first few times, they stopped asking Valencio. He was always too busy.

_xdividerx_

Weeks went by, and they hadn't seen Bellamy since April. The men had become competent carpenters, and while they waited for Bellamy so they could finish the barn, they fenced off another paddock, and under the guidance of Cam, made a show jumping course for practise. There would be a half dozen competing in the jumping when next they went to a horse show. Cam gave his time willingly, and his own property was somewhat neglected.

Valencio visited Dennis McKay, and arranged with him to start taking lessons in driving heavy vehicles. The lessons cost a bit, as trucks and buses had to be hired for the purpose. He assured Tasha that it was an investment. Maybe he could earn a living as a driver.

Dennis was pleased with his competence, but said, "Clem told me he caught you speeding the other day. You were lucky to be let off with a warning."

Valencio said, "I was hardly going fast at all. Just a tiny bit faster than the speed limit. Perfectly safe, though."

Dennis gave him a lecture about the importance of speed limits, doubted if he was impressed, so told him about fines and penalties, instead. "You can lose your license, and it doesn't take much. Just a little bit over the speed limit, three times, or maybe twice caught speeding, plus not wearing a seat belt, and you're grounded for three months or more."

Valencio asked when he could get his heavy vehicle license. "It has to be a full year after you got your license, and you have to have an unblemished license. That is, no traffic violations."

"A full year? It's only about six months."

Dennis grinned. "Sorry, Vince. So don't get any speeding tickets."

"What about the bus? Can I drive that?"

"Twenty-seater, isn't it? That's a higher grade of license as well, and the same rules apply."

Valencio sighed, "I guess I'd best stop driving it then. Horse boxes okay?"

"Those four-horse ones are okay, not bigger ones."

_xdividerx_

The men were working on the barn again, completing details inside, though the roof still lay beside the structure. Racks for bridles, saddles, halters, each with the name of the horse. Several stalls, mangers, bins for brushes, and tins of leather polish. Melanie used magic to do all those routine jobs, but Gloria, Tiffany, and each of the horse owners had made the effort to learn exactly what was needed if they didn't have the help of magic. Gloria, especially, was learning more all the time. There was a shelf of books in the library now, about horses and horse care, next to the beloved books about wild horses, some of which were very old, and had been in the enclosures.

There were sudden whinnies outside, and Jimmy strolled to the door, and called Clarence and Valencio. "John's back."

He pointed, and Valencio laughed. "Madigan. I suppose we should be pleased he condescends _mostly_ to stay in his paddock." Madigan had jumped the fence, and was already being fussed over by Bellamy, still at the main gate.

"Look at Cam," chuckled Jimmy. Cramsie McGonnigal had been conducting a riding lesson for the three girls. The horses had been abandoned, as the girls raced to meet their John. Cam was scratching his head, as Bellamy cantered towards them, no bridle, no saddle, two dogs racing in front of him.

Ten minutes later, John seemed to be surrounded by women. Clarence, Valencio and Jimmy stood together at the back, and Jimmy commented that they might finally get the roof on the new barn. Clarence spun around and swore, as he was bitten on the bottom by Revenge. Women quickly got out of the way. Revenge, her colt trailing behind her, followed by Sherese with her foal, and by Kennedy, looking fit and glossy.

Bellamy hugged the horses, hugged any women who seemed to want to be hugged, and said he'd be staying until the end of June, when his youngest daughter came home from school. Then he was towed over to admire a new garden that Mildred, Hilde and Veronica had made.

Valencio commented, "He gets a welcome."

Jimmy declared, "He's a great man. He deserves a welcome."

Shirley said, "His hair's too long - looks like that of a bloody wizard."

Valencio said, "He_ is_ a wizard. I think nearly everyone forgets that. He's not like us. Not our species. A wizard, even if he seems a reasonably well behaved one."

Shirley said indignantly, "Reasonably well-behaved! When I think of what he's done for us..." She looked at Valencio, disgusted, and stalked off.

Valencio shrugged, disgruntled. John was a bloody wizard. He might be a good bloody wizard, but they should not forget he was a wizard, and not truly to be trusted. It was time to leave, so that he wouldn't know where he was. But Tasha trusted him, and trusted to the goodwill of Dot and Michael. As soon as she agreed, they'd be off.

He sighed. When Emma didn't need him any more. And when the barn was finished. The men were needed, the jobs where strength was required, and also for making them feel safer. Dot and Michael would not be staying much longer, and they'd be left on their own. It was a home, and Valencio admitted to himself that it was a good home. He was happy in the work he was doing, feeling useful, and being able to look at completed projects with a real feeling of satisfaction. He only wanted to leave in order to get away from wizards. But John would never hurt him. He knew that, really, and the women needed him.

But at lunch, he still took a seat at the far end of the room from Bellamy, and as the coveted places near him were gone anyway, Tasha sat next to her husband. It seemed that Shirley wasn't the only one who didn't like their John with long hair, as Brigitta called down the table, "Veronica. Bellamy wants you to give him a haircut."

Tasha grinned, "Did she ask him or tell him?"

"He says he makes it a policy to do what women tell him. He'll probably obey."

Straight after lunch, Valencio was grabbed by Mary. "Can you help saddle some ponies for us? We're going to show John the Pamela Track."

Valencio frowned. He still hadn't looked at it, but felt strongly that no bloody wizard should ever see it. It was Mary and Connie's project, however, and he guessed they had a right to show whoever they wanted.

Mary looked at his face, and said hurriedly, "Not if you're busy, of course."

Valencio apologised, and said he was thinking of something else. "What ponies?"

"Dragon Breath, Ruby, Kellie, and two other quiet ones. Best for this."

Valencio went to the job, knowing each of the ponies, who liked him. A little later Mary and Connie, Clarence, Jimmy, and Carol rode off with Bellamy. Bellamy's dogs followed, and Barney, who belonged to Carol. Valencio was frowning again, and Gloria said, "I agree. It shouldn't be for a bloody wizard."

Tasha said indignantly, "It's John. He's not a bloody wizard. He's the one who rescued us, and we're having a party tonight to celebrate a whole year of freedom, and he'll be there, and Susan, if she wants, and Dot and Michael and Melanie."

Valencio admitted, "I don't like owing my freedom to a wizard. It would have been great to kill them all, and make our own escape."

"Sure," said Gloria mockingly, "As if you didn't like some of them, sometimes."

Tasha asked, "Would you have killed Bashir, or Kofi-Zee, or Abensur?"

Valencio snapped, "I'd've killed the bloody lot of them," and stalked off to Bluey's paddock, and talked to Kennedy, who was being tamed, and maybe should have known better.

Tasha looked at Gloria, who said very firmly, "Me, too!" and decided to go for a gallop on whatever big fast horse was available.

Valencio occupied himself energetically digging a new garden bed for Mildred for the rest of the afternoon. He still felt disgruntled. John Bellamy got around all of them, even the horses. Like Yiko, who'd been able to manipulate him into giving pleasure, even when he hated him most. Bloody wizards. You could never trust a bloody wizard.

Tasha was still annoyed with him, and at dinner, Valencio found himself sitting close to some of the young ones who'd not been quick enough to get a seat closer to their John. Valencio ate in silence, as Treen and Ingrid laughed to each other about the contents of the books they'd been reading.

"Romances," explained Amber. "They're terribly predictable, and the only hint of sex comes at the end when the handsome hero kisses the beautiful heroine, and she almost swoons with pleasure."

Ingrid giggled. "I don't know why, but I'm hooked. I'm reading them at the rate of two a day, until I can't remember whether the current heroine is angelically blonde, or a gorgeous redhead."

"I'm hooked, too. I think it's because it's so far from our own experience."

Nikola asked, "Valencio, what about you? Have you been reading romances?"

Valencio started, and looked at her, "Sorry, what did you say?"

Nikola repeated her question, and Valencio shook his head, and said, "I don't believe I know what romance is."

Amber said, "Cam's a romantic. He's been pursuing Tiffany for months, ever since that first horse show, and she hasn't even been to bed with him."

"She hasn't?" said Valencio, surprised.

"She says when we're finished sorting things out, and there's over a dozen yet to go."

"She's silly then. He's a good man, and she should take him. No point trying to sort things out. It's not as if telling everyone makes the slightest difference to past history."

The women glanced at each other, and Amber said, "The one I'm reading now - he's a lone yachtsman, dark and handsome, of course. And he's perfectly obviously going to fall for the girl artist, except, of course, there has to be some dreadful and heartbreaking misunderstandings first."

Valencio wondered if Tasha would be cross with him if he left early, and glanced at her, listening dotingly to something John was saying. Well, he wasn't restrained to the chair, and no doubt he'd find something to do. He excused himself politely and tried to slip out unobtrusively, only that Amber said, "Don't forget we're having a party tonight."

Valencio smiled, suddenly, blindingly. "We're free! Free for more than a year now! How can I feel grouchy?"

He left though. He wanted to be alone.

_xdividerx_

Tasha was helping with final preparations for the party. Valencio was no longer rostered on to jobs like that, as he was fully occupied every day, mostly building, but quite often helping Carol or Dot with errands. Carol was now officially manager, though Dot and Michael were still resident in case of need. The dance floor was cleared, and music waited, ready to play. Decorations proclaimed, 'A full year of freedom!' Balloons, streamers, flowers, nothing magical. A severe strain had been put on the budget to provide generous quantities of party foods, and drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic. No-one lit the fire, but a few cats lay in front of it anyway, soon joined by assorted dogs as their owners entered the room. The castle was kept always comfortably warm, by magic pretending to be electricity.

The women had party clothes this time, some bought, some designed and sewn. Now they had a choice what they wore, many had developed a consuming interest in fashion.

Valencio and Tasha joined the party together, leaving Ginger contentedly in front of the fire.

Valencio said, "I must remind him that he promised me a pup."

Tasha said sternly, "Be more polite about him, then."

Valencio gave her a sidelong glance. He wasn't accustomed to being in her bad books.

Dot and Michael were early, and Dot quickly made up a bed in an alcove for later, when young Robin became tired. Thierry and Emma claimed him, to the disappointment of a half dozen others. Robin always had too many nursemaids.

Valencio had cast off his moodiness, and laughed and chattered with his particular friends among the women, though taking care not to drink too much. That very first night of freedom when he'd given Michael a black eye. And Michael worked all day for them. A whole year! He would never have dreamt they'd still all be here after a whole year.

Bellamy came in, wearing jeans, but new looking, and a very bright, red-orange shirt, that had the women looking away from him, pained, as he grinned. Tiffany fingered it, and said, "John, just _where _do you buy a shirt this bright?"

"Very difficult. I had to conjure it."

Tiffany laughed, and said, "Dot told me that conjured clothing is apt to vanish, suddenly and unpredictably, and within hours, occasionally minutes."

"Not mine," and he turned to Tasha, who wanted to tell him how well Honey was going now.

The young girls surrounded him, as usual, until Carol told them to let someone else in for a change.

Valencio observed from a distance. Nearly all the women looked for their chance, and spoke to him for a few minutes, and he seemed to know everyone's name. Valencio admitted that he was a bit special. How did he remember everyone's name when some hadn't even spoken to him?

Emma crept close quietly, and just touched him on the back. Valencio had seen that sort of action before, and Emma had told him solemnly that he was good luck, and that it was good luck to touch him. Bellamy didn't turn around, which might have alarmed her. Emma was still very timid. Valencio assumed that Emma, too, had been one of Ahjmed's victims, and had never recovered. She'd never spoken of it, and he'd never asked.

It began to be late, and the party became hilarious. Jimmy had too much to drink, and was coaxed into telling John Doe stories again. He was one of the group that surrounded Bellamy. Valencio wandered closer, wanting to hear.

Bellamy protested, and was ignored, even held very firmly by a laughing Marietta, as he tried to retreat. Jimmy said, grinning, "They set him up with a girlfriend, you see. She was a secret agent to find out what he was, except that she wasn't very secret, as everyone knew she was an agent. But when she asked, he didn't say no."

"That right, John?"

Bellamy laughed and nodded. "Clare. What was I supposed to do? Couldn't have sex with Jimmy. Of course I said yes!"

Jimmy continued, grinning, "One time, he'd been sick for weeks, skin and bone again, barely able to walk, but the moment they let him out of Ward 3, he visited Clare, and we heard later that he definitely wasn't too sick for that."

Bellamy tried to retreat again, beginning to go very red.

Jimmy suddenly looked down at his glass, and said, "I forgot."

"What? What did you forget?"

"We weren't supposed to tell him, because he was already distressed, they said."

Jimmy suddenly stood, swaying, and slurring his words. "I'm stupid and I'm drunk, and I forgot. I'm sorry, John."

Bellamy said softly, "She did not commit suicide, Jimmy. She made it appear like that only because she was pregnant, and didn't want anyone to know."

"They said she killed herself because it was too hard, conflict of interest, what we all had."

"The child is called John Douglas, he's five next month, and has black hair, and looks like being tall."

Jimmy beamed, "Really?"

"Clare is happily married, and has a son, and a tiny baby daughter to her husband, who's a wizard. She knows what I am now."

Marietta still had a firm hold of his arm. "Wasn't there a scandal about a daughter no-one knew about? Suddenly appeared at a formal function, and proclaimed it to the world."

Bellamy was red again. "Yvette. She was angry with me."

"Any others?" asked Tiffany, teasingly.

Bellamy said very quietly to Marietta, "Please let me go," and she let him go.

"Excuse me, Tiffany," he said, "Definitely need another drink."

Tiffany looked questioningly at Dot and Michael, who decided that they definitely needed another drink, as well.

Valencio was grinning. The great wizard was blushing. There must have been more. At least he was embarrassed about it.

Valencio went to find Tasha then, who was laughing at Brigitta and Inge, acting out a scene from one of the romances that they, too, had been enjoying. Brigitta was being the heroine, acting as if crying, "I was sure you didn't love me... I thought it was Anne-Marie... I always loved you..."

Inge declared, "It was only that I thought you too beautiful! How could I declare myself?"

Shirley said, "Hey, Vince! You used to be able to act. You play one of the parts."

"The part of the heroine?"

He went to his knees on the floor, raised piteous eyes to Inge, his voice throbbed, and tears flowed, as he said, heart rendingly, "I was sure you didn't love me... I thought it was Anne-Marie... I always loved you..." He raised a trembling hand, and said, "Now, you say you love me, and I know you do..." His voice changed, and he said innocently, "Does that mean I have to give up having sex with Tom and Hank and Ben?"

There was a shout of laughter, and Brigitta said, "How do you do that? Cry real tears?"

Valencio shrugged, wiped his eyes, and said, "I've always been able to do that. It was great when I was a kid, just shed a few tears and my mother would give me whatever I wanted."

Tasha said, "You must have been spoiled rotten."

Valencio shrugged, "I had a nanny, she was strict, and never fooled by my tricks. And at school, there was no favouritism, just because I'd been in films."

Evita said shrewdly, "Those films. You said they were nothing. They weren't, were they?"

"Twenty years ago. Old, forgotten."

Evita glanced at Inge. She thought she might go searching. Valencio. What had been his surname? Not McDonald, that was for sure. The older ones might know.

There was a sudden commotion, and the group looked around. Raised voices, Gloria's furious voice: "We're _not_ free! We won't ever be truly free because John Bellamy interfered in our minds, and we have no choice whether we tell anyone what happened or not!"

Gloria faced Bellamy, who sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. More women joined her, first Maliwan, then Tiffany, Eva, Lucy, all facing him, confronting him, angry.

Valencio was astounded. The women all doted on John. Emma was suddenly clinging to Valencio, who put an arm around her, comforting. He said, in a low voice, "Don't worry, Sis. It'll blow over in a minute."

It always made her smile, when he called her 'Sis.' This time she whimpered. The other Anirage, Dot and Michael, even Melanie, were looking very alert, wary.

Gloria spat, "You're like all bloody wizards. You use your power to hurt ordinary people, just because you can. Just bloody bullies." She paused, and restated her complaint. "You've interfered in our minds. You have to free us, properly free us!"

Carol said reasonably, "We _can_ be trusted, you know, John. Maybe you should allow us to be free."

Bellamy stood up, facing them. He didn't look frightened, or aggressive, or defensive, still perfectly calm.

Helene said, "We know it was just the Khatabis, and we promise we won't tell anyone about wizards and magic."

Gloria, demanding, "Take away the orders in our minds. We cannot be free while there's magic on us."

Jimmy said, "You haven't put magic on me."

Valencio still had his arm around Emma, who was shaking. Tasha, on the other hand, had joined the women who faced Bellamy, furiously demanding. Valencio suddenly noticed that Melanie had her wand out, not quite hidden in the folds of her dress. He frowned. If she tried to put a spell on any of the women, he'd do something! Bellamy's dogs were by his sides now, and Trey was snarling. No-one took any notice.

It was the pendreiya they were complaining about. Valencio wondered why he'd given no thought to it before. He, too, hated the idea of someone interfering in his mind. First Yiko, though he wasn't totally sure about that, now John Bellamy. He suddenly noticed that Michael was keeping a careful watch on him. Just like the bloody Khatabi guards, in fact! His anger was mounting.

Bellamy said, very calmly, "I cannot allow so many people who know the worst of wizardry, to be free to spread the story. There is too much possibility of serious repercussions."

Jimmy said, "What about me?"

"One person would just be labelled lunatic. Eighty would be believed."

Carol said slowly, "Don't you trust us?"

Bellamy said, "Maybe I don't. It's too much risk."

Carol said again, "We know it was only the Khatabis. We know all wizards are not like that."

Bellamy looked at her, very sadly. "It is not just the Khatabis, though that was the most systematic abuse I've ever come across. It is an ongoing problem, especially with young men. They think they're so powerful compared to medj, and they become arrogant and bullying. They refer to it as medj-baiting, often fairly harmless, sometimes very cruel. It's why there are so many aurors. We have a far bigger governing body, in relation to our population, than medj do. And it's needed, mostly for the purpose of policing young wizards. Occasionally witches, usually wizards. It's even why our children all go away to school, where they learn self control, as well as magic, and are away from ordinary children who are too easy to dominate."

Shirley demanded, '"Have _you_ ever killed medj, John?"

Michael intervened smoothly, "It is illegal to kill anyone, medj or wizard. Bellamy was once convicted of the unlawful killings of two wizards even though they had kidnapped him, tortured him, and starved him. He was still sentenced to three years imprisonment."

Bellamy still simply stood, looking perfectly calm. There was a brief silence, and then Gloria said, "You're not going to free us, are you?"

Bellamy shook his head. "I told you that you could not talk to other medj about magic or wizardry. The command stays."

Gloria stared at him angrily, and then turned and flounced away. Emma gave a deep sigh of relief. Bellamy still had a glass in his hand. He drained it, set it down on a nearby table, and left the room, followed by his dogs. They were all acutely aware of him, and not a one spoke to him. Dot and Michael picked up their sleeping child, and Melanie followed them out, and there were no goodbyes for them, either.

Valencio took a deep breath, and his anger drained away. It was John's honesty, and his sadness. An ongoing problem, he said, but it was policed, as best they could. Even John himself had been sentenced to prison because he'd killed. Was that the imprisonment he'd spoken of once? That he'd said was far worse than when he was a prisoner of American soldiers.

Gloria still raged, pacing furiously, ranting about the arrogance of wizards.

Emma asked, "What's she talking about?"

"Don't you remember? It's called a pendreiya. Instructions in our minds, instilled with magic, so we can't tell anyone about wizards and magic."

"Like he did to the Khatabis."

"Like that. In the App. Box, remember? Just casual, but that's when he did it."

Tasha said to her husband, "You've got to help. You can make him take it off."

Valencio was a bit taken aback, but thought he'd best do as Tasha said, and when she declared that they would make him do what they said, he said, yes, undoubtedly. How on earth were they to make John do anything he didn't want to?

Tasha still looked at him expectantly, and he joined Gloria, pacing swiftly towards the window, and whirling around. "I _told_ you he was just like the rest of them! Bloody arrogant wizards. Do exactly what they want!"

Tiffany took over, to his relief: "I hate it. He has no _reason_ not to trust us! He _should_ trust us!"

Eva declared, "We should take their wands, and then make him release us!"

Lucy said, almost crying, "After all the Khatabis did to us, and he's just the same. He never cared about us, just pretended."

Bernice cried, "It's all his fault. We should be free!"

Kwai-Jeeha, "Selfish, just like the rest of them!"

Valencio agreed, "Selfish."

Tasha strode to Valencio, facing him. "So what are we going to do about it?"

Valencio looked blank. Surely they realised. There was not a thing they could do about it.

It was Farfalla who answered, usually so gentle. "There are a lot of us. We could just wait until they're asleep, and bash them to death, even Robin, because he's a boy, and would only grow into a murdering, raping wizard."

There was a hush. And finally, Gloria said, "I never meant that. I know they're good people. I know they're only trying to help us. I just get so angry, sometimes."

Tiffany said, "Of course, we're not going to hurt them," but she smiled. "It's good thinking they might be frightened."

"If we were still in the enclosures, the four of them would just stand back a bit, paralyse and start punishing."

Carol said, "And they won't do that, either. Probably they'll still be here in the morning, and Bellamy will start riding Kennedy, and Dot will give me what I've been wanting to know about the sourcing of our income, Michael will continue working on making magical heating appear to be electrical and Melanie will continue training Nigretta."

"Do you think we should apologise?"

"No, let them stew. He should trust us and take the magic off."

Tasha smiled at Valencio, and said softly, "You can stop acting now. I know you think we were just being silly."

"Not silly, just that John's not just any wizard. He believes he's done the right thing, and will not change his mind."

"You don't think he should trust us?"

"He shouldn't trust me. If there was a way, I'd still wipe Wizardkind from the earth."

Farfalla was relieved. She'd been frightened they were working themselves up to an attack, but her words had just the effect she'd wanted. After a while, the ones on duty quietly started cleaning up, followed by several more. By the time they went off to bed, the ballroom was again immaculate.

In the morning, the news spread quickly. Melanie was gone, and so was young Robin. Tasha was upset. "None of us would have hurt Robin!"

Valencio said, "Michael was an auror, remember? He's probably seen awful things. He sometimes looks like he's seen awful things. I bet he said Robin and Melanie had to go."

Valencio inspected the barn again, but there was really nothing more to do until the roof was on. He went and talked to the young horses instead. Melanie was gone, but he thought they seemed fairly well trained for their owners, and Dot and Michael had been riding them sometimes, as well. Gloria was in Bluey's paddock, fussing over Revenge and the foal, still unnamed. No-one was speaking to Bellamy, but he didn't appear to be worrying, just talking to Kennedy for a while, then he attached some reins to the halter, led the horse through the gateway, and then simply leapt onto his back. Everyone in sight turned to watch.

Kennedy stood still, ears flicking. Bellamy prepared himself for the ferocious buck that followed. And then the horse leapt and twisted, reared and bucked, as Bellamy grinned and stayed on the bare back without apparent effort.

Kennedy stopped dead, turned his head about, and sniffed at the man still on his back. Valencio laughed out loud. What a man! And that wasn't magic, staying on the back of a bucking horse. Bellamy patted the horse, and then the pair went streaking down the driveway, narrowly avoiding being hit by a car driven by Cramsie McGonnigal.

Brigitta sighed, and said, "He's amazing, isn't he?"

Valencio said, "Look, Shaz has given up."

Bellamy's other dog still followed, even nearly keeping up. Kennedy was not as fast as Madigan.

Clarence and Jimmy joined Brigitta and Valencio, just as Valencio lifted the saddle on to Daybreak. Brigitta always said it was too heavy for her, but then, Brigitta had become very good at having men do her bidding.

Jimmy said, "If we tackle him after he comes back, we can finish the barn today, and probably have all the gear in tomorrow."

Valencio agreed.

Clarence said cautiously, "You don't think we should hit him or something instead, then?"

"What on earth good would that do?"

Jimmy was relieved. He liked Valencio, very much, and Valencio had looked after him when he needed it. But he worshipped John, and thought he could do no wrong. Mostly. He, too, had been caught up in the anger of the others the previous night, as much as any. One of the medj, opposed to the wizard. Was that mob mentality? If they'd attacked John, what would he have done? In the cool light of the morning after, he was still unsure.

Two hours later, Valencio, Clarence and Jimmy found Bellamy in the swimming pool, doing laps, smoothly and rhythmically stroking through the water. Jimmy said softly, "I used to _pray _that he wouldn't try to escape anywhere near where I was. And I think maybe I wasn't the only one."

Valencio said, "It's hard to believe that he couldn't escape when he's the great wizard."

"He was so sick, so often, and had forgotten his past, had apparently forgotten his magic, though it was magic that he must have finally used to free himself."

In the enclosures, Nusa'pei had been apt to threaten mass silencing if they annoyed him by making loud noises. But now Valencio suggested, "Whistle for him?"

Clarence laughed and nodded. It was Ricky, who taught Inge, who taught several others, how to make an earsplitting whistle. The three of them put fingers to mouths, and blew, with the result that Bellamy first dived, and then came up in a different spot, looking around for the threat. "Jumpy," commented Clarence.

But then Bellamy was pulling himself out and greeting them.

"The roof?" asked Clarence.

"Sure," and Bellamy picked up a towel from the floor, that surely hadn't been there before, dried himself and dressed, as they waited and talked about their next project - a hayshed.

Bellamy frowned. "Can we afford the machinery to cut hay?"

"We can hire, and Carol says it winds up cheaper than buying feed, when we have so much growing."

"I guess if I'm still wanted, I can do it for free," said Bellamy, diffidently.

They were silent. They wanted him, but they were not at all sure about many of the women.

_xchapter endx_


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Notes: There are 37 chapters in this story, and 245,000 words. There is a list of characters right at the start, plus short explanations of terms used. _

Chapter 15

Cramsie McGonnigal was well out of the way when a large, fully made roof rose from the ground, and moved slowly over the barn. Four solid ladders stood at each corner, but at a respectful distance, three with one of the men on top, the fourth with Eva.

Eva called, "Lower now, slowly."

Bellamy watched carefully as he lowered the roof.

"Toward me a little," called Valencio, and the roof obeyed instructions.

There was no wand raised, and an audience watched, though not including Dot and Michael, who were out with Carol and Helene, organising some banking business before the final takeover. There were more fine adjustments, until the steeply pitched roof slid gently into place.

It had yet to be made firm, as otherwise a strong wind might have it sailing off. The ladders were readjusted, now leaning against the roof, rather than freestanding, and the men, including Bellamy, climbed up on the roof. A few women stood about, watching. It was almost noon, hot, and all the men worked shirtless. Jimmy was casual, although the others were more cautious as they moved about the roof, securing it very firmly.

"Nearly finished," remarked Clarence to Bellamy, seeing him pause in his work.

Valencio glanced over and stopped work, his attention caught by something in his posture.

Bellamy answered, "We'll be a bit late for lunch, though." The answer was casual, and Valencio returned to his work.

A moment later, there was a yell of alarm from Clarence, as Bellamy slid down the slope of the roof, briefly checked at the edge as he scrabbled for a new hold, and then fell. Clarence ceased his rash run to help, and hurried to a ladder instead, still taking insufficient care. Jimmy also, Valencio thought, was in too much of a hurry.

By the time Valencio joined the others, Bellamy was flat on his back on the ground, his eyes closed. Emma knelt by his side. His right arm was outflung, palm up, and a red scratch ran along it. His watch was missing, presumably scraped or pulled off as he fell. Valencio stared at a white bracelet scar that encircled his wrist.

Eva was there too, and now said calmly, "He's trembling, probably why he fell, but his breathing's fine. I think he's just knocked out," and she felt gently round the back of his head, her fingers coming away with a small amount of blood.

As if hypnotised, Emma stroked the ridged white scar on his wrist. Slowly she reached for his other hand, and pulled off the watch. There was the same mark, though not as prominent. Somewhere, some time, John had been tied by the wrists, and had fought desperately against the bonds, enough to cause injuries severe enough to make those scars. Gently she put down both wrists, and put her own left hand to her right wrist. She bore no visible scars, but ever since, she'd thought there were scars.

Bellamy blinked and opened his eyes, but lay unmoving, feeling the intensity with which Emma's eyes went slowly to his.

Valencio, too, looked at those marks. The leather cuffs he'd worn for so long had never made scars, soft edged, and he didn't think he'd ever fought very long anyway, just giving up when he knew he was helpless.

Connie went to Emma and put an arm around her. "He's fine. He's awake, and not badly hurt."

Emma said in a high pitched voice, "She died, you see. I held her hand all night, and she held mine, but in the morning, she was looking at me, but she was dead."

Valencio went to her, not quite understanding her words, but his precious little sister was hurting. Emma turned to him, suddenly, sobbing in his arms, as Bellamy rather slowly sat up.

Eva said to him, "Valencio will look after Emma. You'd best just lie down for a while."

"I'm not hurt. Just had a stupid trembling attack at a bad moment." But he was looking pale, and staggered slightly when he stood.

Clarence and Jimmy went to his side and Eva said, "He'd best lie down for a bit."

Valencio kissed Emma, and said, "Come and sit down for a while?"

Emma nodded, her sobs beginning to die down.

Three evenings later, in the ballroom, Emma started to talk. "We were six, Laura and I. We did everything together, thought the same way, like we were the same person. Mum and Dad always dressed us differently, Laura always in reds, browns, yellows, me always in blues and greens. And when we were given toys, it was the same. Like, for instance, Laura would have a red car, and I would have a blue one. And my hair was long, and in plaits, while Laura's was only shoulder length, and loose.

"I'm not sure how we came to be in the hands of the Khatabis. We called him Uncle Larbi, and we trusted him, and never wondered why we were not with our parents any more. He indulged us, took us shopping, spoiled us. We thought he was good and kind. Uncle Larbi, and we trusted him. He had my hair cut to look exactly like Laura's, and bought us new clothes, always exactly the same. We enjoyed the novelty. No-one could tell us apart any more, and when Uncle Larbi made my name appear on my arm, and Laura's on hers, we just thought it funny and clever.

"One day, he took us to a particular dress shop, and asked for special dresses. They had to be white, with lots of frills, and with a big billowing skirt part. One had to have a pale pink ribbon, one with a pale yellow one, but only that little bit of colour, otherwise pure white. Two sets, he asked for, and when they were made, he put one set away very carefully, and let us wear the other, because we thought we were so beautiful in our dresses. He had three other men travelling with him, and they would all make a fuss of us, though we didn't like the others like we adored our special Uncle Larbi. They gave us whatever we asked for, even if it was expensive.

"They took us to a fun fair one day. We wore bright yellow skirts, and frilly white tops, and identical, brand new, shiny black shoes. We went on lots of rides, and on one, Laura was sick, but Uncle Larbi just laughed, told us to shut our eyes, and suddenly the mess was gone, even the smell. When we asked what he'd done, he whispered to us like it was a delightful secret. Magic, he said, and laughed and winked.

"That evening, before going to bed, he had us stand in front of him and Uncle Mikhael. I remember our nighties. Bought just that day. Pretty pink, with frills. We adored new clothes, even when they were only nighties. But anyway, he told us we had to tightly close our eyes, as he had a surprise for us. So I tightly closed my eyes, and I assume Laura did, too. But then my tummy suddenly felt horrible, and I cried, and Laura cried, too, frightened, and not knowing what had happened. But Uncle Larbi soothed, and Uncle Mikhael handed us a teddy each, one with a pale pink ribbon around its neck, and one with a pale yellow one. They had little ribbons around their arms and legs, too. Anyway, we were consoled, and Uncle Larbi told us it was just a little magical spell, so that we wouldn't get sick.

"We went on an aeroplane the next day, and there were more men who looked a lot like Uncle Larbi and the others. I suppose there was a job they were doing in Canada, aside from us, and now it was finished. They spoke in a foreign language a lot of the time, but they looked at us a lot, and sometimes said how beautiful we were, and exactly the same. Uncle Larbi said it was a plane just for us, and for Khatabi family.

"It was a long way, but we were allowed to run around, and when we wanted to sleep, Uncle Larbi made us beds on the seats. We were small enough that we could fit in nicely. And then he patted our heads, gave us a kiss on the cheek, and told us sweet dreams, like always.

"When we arrived in Morocco, we were taken in a quiet gate and put in a little area, a bedroom, two other rooms, and with a fenced garden attached." Valencio knew it, the small end enclosure, where there were toys for children, but not a thing that could be used as a weapon. Emma continued, "There was some play equipment and lots of toys. Uncle Larbi said we were very good girls, and the next night, they would have a ceremony, and we could wear our special white dresses, and meet lots of friends. I remember Laura asking if we'd be going to school, as we were supposed to be learning to read. He said there would be school if we wanted, but we were such special little girls that we wouldn't have to if we didn't want to." Emma smiled, very sadly. "We thought it was good to be special little girls." Emma and Laura's story had to be the most tragic of all, and Valencio had his head down. She'd had a twin, who must have died. How could he stand hearing this? Little Emma, whom he'd always wanted to look after.

"The day of the ceremony was quiet, except that we had lots of visitors, and Uncle Larbi was very happy, because I think they were pleased with him. We were allowed to wear our spare dresses, the white ones with lots of frills, and Laura tore hers when she caught it on a seesaw. But Uncle Larbi said it didn't matter, because that evening, we'd wear the special ones he'd put away for us.

"It was time to get washed and dressed, and Uncle Larbi gave us new little pants, just ordinary little girl pants, plain white. And then he said we had to have special decorations for the ceremony, just like our teddies had, but ours had flowers on. They must have made them specially. Mine were pale pink and Laura's pale yellow, and like he said, they were decorated with pretty flowers, each of them with a silver ring as the centre. Wrists and ankles, like the teddies. We thought they were pretty. We liked them.

"He put on the white dresses for us, with all the frills, and the full skirt. We loved those dresses. They were the most fancy dresses we'd ever had. And we paraded in front of the big mirror, and believed him when he said he was so proud of us, because we were the best and most beautiful little girls he'd ever known.

"They had single beds, side by side. We were obedient, and lay down as instructed, and Uncle Larbi fussed over our clothes, smoothing down the dresses that went to our ankles. Our teddies were tucked next to us, but he wouldn't say why we had to lie down, and then he told us to hold hands if we wanted, so we did. I didn't even notice when he clipped the restraint on the wrist next to Laura, but I think Laura did. Uncle Mikhael was doing her, and she said, 'Uncle Larbi?' Just a bit anxious, still not frightened. Uncle Larbi was talking all the time, just moving around calmly, and so was Uncle Mikhael, and our other wrists and our ankles were restrained before we even tried to get away. We started grizzling a bit then, and Mikhael grinned, but Larbi just sat on the side of the bed, and stroked our cheeks, and reassured. Everything was alright. It was just a ceremony to welcome us."

Emma had her face bowed, and tears were on her cheeks. Carol got up and brought her back a glass of water. She should continue, no matter how difficult. She was no longer six, and her life was in front of her now. Valencio still looked down. His eyes were squeezed shut. How could they have done it? Two little girls who trusted! Larbi. He'd never heard of a Larbi. He hoped very much he was dead.

"He fussed over our clothes again, our long frilly white dresses covering our legs, and a teddy tucked next to each of us. Waved a wand, and I think that's when he made the numbers on our arms. Then two men came in. I think we'd seen them before, just a quick visit to our 'playroom.' They were smiling, and there was a quick conversation in Arabic. Uncle Larbi had told us it was Arabic, when they said things we didn't understand. For a few minutes they sat on the beds, and stroked our cheeks. The one on my bed - he said it was a lovely teddy, but he might put it to the side just for a few minutes. I guess it would have been in his way. Then he said to close my eyes very tight, and not open them until he said. I was beginning to be very frightened, and tried hard to pull away from the restraints. They might have been pretty pink with flowers, but they were still restraints. He said again just to close my eyes very tight, so I did. He lifted up my dress, caressed the little girl pants, and then they were suddenly no longer there. He said sternly, 'Keep your eyes shut,' and I was very frightened by then, and I did. I don't know if Laura was, but we were holding hands very tightly.

"And he said, very softly, 'You can open your eyes now,' and I stared right up at him, and he had no clothes on, and he was lying over me. They must have had it planned, to do it at exactly the same moment, as Laura screamed just half an instant before me, and held my hand even tighter.

"After they finished, they swapped over, and when they were finished with us, two more came in. When I saw those scars on the wrists of John... Mine didn't scar, but I always thought they did." She was caressing her wrists again.

"I think there were about nine or ten, but I wasn't counting, and then Uncle Larbi came back in. And we were crying, and complaining that they hurt us, and was the ceremony over, because we wanted to go home."

She was silent for a little. No-one interrupted. At last she gave a long shuddering sigh. "In all that time, it was the first time we'd thought of home and our parents. Anyway, Uncle Larbi soothed, and bathed our faces, and then he bathed between our legs where we were so sore. It was comforting - gentle cool water. But he wouldn't let us go. Just said that the ceremony wasn't quite finished yet, but that nothing else would hurt. It was just something necessary, and he'd lied a little in the beginning so we wouldn't be frightened. And he got some more cool water, and bathed me again. And then he adjusted the ankle straps so our legs were pulled a little wider, took off his robe, and he did it too. Then he moved over to Laura.

"When he was finished, he carefully arranged our white dresses back down over our wide apart legs, tucked the teddy bears close to our sides, and let Uncle Mikhael in, and the other two who'd been with us. He stayed a while, I think, and watched. More men, and more. I don't know how many. All the time, we held hands. Sometimes, they tried to do it together, a man on me, and a man on Laura, as if it was a novel new game.

"After a while, I stopped feeling it, and maybe I slept. There was a window above us, and when I woke, there was a light coming in. It was morning, and I looked at Laura, and she was awake, too, because her eyes were open, and looking at me. Except that it was not quite right, because she didn't move.

"No-one came for a long time. And then a young man, who looked terribly upset, and he undid the restraints from me, but had to work hard to make us stop holding hands. And he carried me to Enclosure 1, and gave me to Hilde."

Hilde remembered. Such a tiny mite, and so much blood. And she hadn't even known at the time there had been a twin sister. Emma said, "I want to say some more, but I want to say it tomorrow."

Hilde said, tears on her face, and in her voice, "Tomorrow."

Hilde was the only one of all of them who had put on a little weight, and now she held out her arms to the six year old child in the body of the grown woman, and Emma sobbed in the arms of the round, comfortable woman, as she had never sobbed in all the intervening years. Laura, the other part of herself, gone these past twenty years. A victim of the Khatabis.

There were others crying. How could they? Little girls, who trusted their Uncle Larbi. Valencio's head was bowed over Tasha, held very tight in his arms. She was sobbing, remembering. The tiny child, held in the arms of young Abensur, who'd looked distraught. He didn't say there'd been another, and Emma... They'd found out about the twin sister a few days later, from Kofi-Zee. He hadn't been an enclosure guard then, though he would have been rostered on sometimes of course, like they all were.

After a long time, Emma came to Valencio, and said solemnly, calmly, "You can't go and kill them all. Most of those involved are dead anyway."

Valencio's voice was not nearly as calm, as he asked, "Nusa'pei. What was he doing?"

Tasha answered him, shakily, "He was away at the time, and there was another doing the job of overseer. Kofi-Zee killed him, along with at least two others, including a Khatabi. There was a lot of fighting."

Hilde joined the group. For so long she'd worried over Valencio, and now he looked far more upset than Emma, who seemed only tired. Hilde thought Valencio perfectly capable of returning to Morocco, and trying to wipe out the remaining family, whether or not Zhor and Najia were a part of it.

She said slowly, calmly, "It was a long time ago, and resulted in the deaths of several of the worst sadists among them. The two main culprits were poisoned, and we always thought maybe it was the women responsible for that. But for weeks, there was duelling, and it didn't stop until nearly all those involved were either dead or gone, fled to Japan, or gone entirely. Good ones died too, like Kuwaja. Kofi-Zee challenged a Khatabi, though it hardly ever happens, only occasionally when a whipping is ordered, and a challenge is issued instead. Almost always, the servant is killed, but that time, it was the Khatabi. And no-one was bothering with Vidi-Curses, we heard. Just Death Curses, mostly."

She was talking very deliberately, trying to calm Valencio, who'd always been unstable.

Emma sat down next to him, and he put his arm around her. Hilde continued, "Abimael was one of their best Fighters, though he was nearly sixty. He killed Mikhael, who maybe didn't realise how serious he was. Abimael's leg was severed already when he sent the Death Curse that got Mikhael. The head of the security forces was killed, and that was when Fahad took over, and Fahad killed several, as well."

Tasha put in, "We heard that Abensur forgot all prudence, and the moment Emma was delivered to Hilde, went to where the Khatabis were breakfasting, and yelled at them what disgusting, sadistic brutes they were. He was lucky he wasn't killed, but he was hauled away, and whipped very severely. He nearly died, we heard."

Valencio said, in a low voice, "He had scars."

Emma said, "I didn't know he was whipped because of us."

Hilde said, "I tried to tell you, a few weeks later, about the ones killed, as well, but you stopped eating, again, and I decided it was best to let you forget, as much as possible."

Bernice arrived with a tray. "Hot chocolate drinks," she said, "I think we all need them tonight."

Emma straightened from her position leaning on Valencio, and accepted the comforting drink. She smiled mistily at Bernice, and said, "It definitely helps."

xdividerx

The following morning, Valencio watched as a line of ponies started along the Pamela Track. Emma, Clarence, Connie and Hilde. Poor Emma. She said she felt just a little better now, and tonight she was going to continue a little. She was braver than he was.

Cam was there again, coaching Ingrid, Eva and Lucy over jumps. Tiffany was in an adjacent paddock, taking Patrick over much higher jumps. Bellamy had already taken Kennedy out for a ride, and was now fussing over the mares and foals. Three foals, just a couple of months old. Much admired, much cosseted.

Mary was sitting on a garden seat, sketching. Mildred was frowning thoughtfully over the new garden, and a trio of women were methodically cleaning the outside toilet blocks. There would be more doing inside. The routine jobs. Everyone was subdued. No-one bothered being rude and angry at Bellamy, as they had in the last few days. Each time he only listened with courtesy, and obviously had not the slightest intention of changing his mind.

In the evening, Emma left the side of Valencio, and went to Hilde, who had a large mug of hot chocolate for her, again. It was Hilde who'd looked after her at the time, and Hilde she wanted now. Hilde asked gently, "Do you want me to start?" Emma nodded.

Hilde told them all about the aftermath, the whipping of Abensur, and the fighting. What she'd told Valencio the previous evening, in order to try and get him settled. Valencio could act very stupidly, sometimes. Emma took over again, relating how Abensur had started to use her, very, very gentle, until she was no longer frightened. Hilde put in that she'd been worried that they were going to kill her, as useless to them, and that maybe Abensur was saving her life.

Emma nodded, "I think you're right. He always had a potion himself, as if he just wouldn't be able to do it if he didn't. And after a while, he often just asked for me, lay with me a while, and sent me back, but he told me not to tell anyone he didn't have sex with me. He did it now and again, I think it was so I wouldn't get too frightened again. Then there was a friend of his, and he didn't always do it either. Then there gradually started to be a few more, but I was never popular, except for when strangers came. Mostly they just acted as if they didn't see me. Yiko had me as Favourite for a while, and that was good, because he only used me maybe once a week, but I was protected."

Hilde said, "After you, I don't think there was anyone come in under the age of twelve. I think the story got to the women, maybe because of all the fighting afterwards. Maybe Riza gave orders."

Margaret said, "When I was taken, it was from a gym class, and many of us looked younger than our ages. And he asked, 'Are you ten, eleven?' And the others all gave their ages - nine, ten, eleven, and he came to me, and I said proudly, "I was twelve last week! So he took me."

Tasha was sitting very close to Valencio again, and said, "Abensur wasn't too bad. He did his best for Emma, and then later he helped you."

"He was only like a farmer looking after his stock. Don't you remember what Jimmy told us? They were treated as kindly as possible - except that they were hurt terribly, and would all have been dead in the end if things hadn't changed. And how many youngsters did we see suddenly wearing the green stripe of Fighter? To be a qualified Fighter, they would have killed, maimed, and tortured the subjects provided by Abensur and Nusa'pei. Abensur is not a good man."

Tasha replied, after a pause, "Maybe because we went though what we did. Less terrible seems like good."

Valencio mentioned casually, "I nearly killed Abensur once, but there was no point, except that I resented him having a bet that he could tame me."

Tasha said, astounded, "He had a bet?"

Valencio grinned ruefully, "I had to be unrestrained, obedient, and him not murdered. But he told me later he never claimed, as I was not truly obedient."

Tasha said quietly, "And how close did you come to killing him?"

Valencio was about to be in trouble again, he suspected. He looked a bit shifty.

Tasha said severely, "Well?"

Valencio asked if she'd like another chocolate.

Very quietly, Tasha repeated her question, and Valencio reluctantly answered, "Pretty close. We were in the bedroom, no guards present. I took his wand and knocked him out. I had a nice, sharp blade, ready to kill him with. It had been hidden there a long time. But I put it back in its hiding place, and just waited for him to wake up instead. I didn't kill him. He'd won, and I was tamed."

Tasha stared at him, and suddenly laughed, shaking her head. "How we managed to get you through it, alive!"

Valencio said defensively, "I don't think I'm naturally murderous - only wizards."

Tasha said severely, "Well, don't go thinking of killing Michael or John, will you."

Valencio said, "Of course I won't, or only if they turn on us."

Tasha laughed, "They won't turn on us."

Valencio shrugged. They were wizards, weren't they?

_xchapter endx_


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 16:_

Valencio saddled Daybreak for Brigitta the day after. She waited, patting the horse, as he tightened the girth. She said, "Emma. She was very brave, being able to talk about it."

Valencio said, "She told me she feels better, but I don't know. She doesn't look as if she feels better."

"It's like taking some pressure off, maybe."

Valencio grunted, "Maybe." He looked at Brigitta, who had her eyes downcast. "Are you thinking you should do it, too?"

"We're the youngest. Everyone knows what happened to us."

"Pretty much."

Brigitta said sternly, "You're not acting right. You should be encouraging!"

Valencio smiled at the girl, and said, "You do exactly what you want to do. You don't have to worry what other people think."

It seemed that Brigitta had decided she wasn't going to do it, as the evening conversation was only of Mary's painting, improving all the time, Gloria's cat that had scratched Barney's nose, and several looked closely at copies of educational courses available, that would be starting in late August. The girls were out nearly every day with young friends, and seemed happy and outgoing. It didn't appear to Valencio that there was the slightest need for them to put themselves through the ordeal.

Tasha disagreed of course, saying that it was not a matter of whether everyone knew what had happened or not. It was a matter of facing up to it, admitting what had happened even when it seemed shameful, and accepting it. It was important.

Valencio stroked the sides of Ginger, who was asleep on his lap, and said, "You know, I think she's going to have kittens."

Tasha said delightedly, "Really?"

But then a hush fell over the ballroom. It was the continuation of a conversation, it seemed, that it was not yet time to disperse, in Connie's words, '"I think we need to finish our work here." Connie hadn't spoken yet.

Emma spoke up, '"What gave me the strength to do it was seeing John's wrists - that he'd been tied up once, and couldn't get away, just like a lot of us."

Evita said, "Jimmy, what happened to make those scars, do you know?"

"They were already faded white when I knew him. I don't know what happened, except that he made the right one worse, when they handcuffed him to a chair."

They remembered that story, though the details had been very scanty. Gloria grinned. _"How_ many did you say had a fight over it?"

"It was the bastards in Force B, we reckoned. They knew he panicked when restrained, and so Forster did it deliberately, as a method of interrogation, to make him tell them how he nearly got away. But they didn't manage to get his left wrist, and he laid them out instead, swinging the chair around by the handcuff. They gave up, and only Clare was game to approach him, to undo the handcuff, and try and get him settled down. But his wrist was a mess. It was a heavy chair, and he just flung it around, and beat it against the walls trying to free himself. Just panicking, not thinking, they said. I didn't see it, of course.

"When we heard what they'd done to him, we went after them, at the pub in Hallsville where they gathered. They seemed to think he was dangerous, just because a couple had broken ribs and a few bruises. Even some of his own personal guards were with us. They called reinforcements, we called reinforcements. About sixty on our side, maybe a few more on theirs."

He grinned. "Sergeant Major Zack Willis, one of his close personal guards. Used to be an MP. You should have seen him fight. Laid out about ten before they nearly smothered him, and even then he got up again, and chased a few more away. Hank was our champ, though. He took down even more than Zack, I think. The local policemen just watched, not knowing what to do, and all the MPs were in the fight as well."

He grinned reminiscently. "A few wound up in the lockup, but most of us just sort of slipped away once we won. And only then did the police arrest a few unable to walk."

"What did John say?"

"We were told that anyone telling him would be up on charges, and they reminded us that wherever he was, there'd be microphones and cameras. He probably still doesn't know there was a big fight over it."

Evita said again, "But why did he panic so much when restrained? And why does he have scars?"

Carol said, "Will we ask him?"

There was a silence, but Carol looked around, and rose. "I'll bring him here, and we'll ask him."

A few minutes later, Carol returned with Bellamy, and indicated a chair. Obediently, Bellamy sat, and waited for her to say what was wanted. There was a tense silence, broken by Bellamy, who suggested they give him a beer.

The tension relaxed in laughter, and a supply of beer was brought in. Clarence and Jimmy accepted one, Valencio as well, though not Tasha. It broke the ice, and still no-one told Bellamy why he appeared to be in the hot seat.

He said, "Mildred's garden's looking good."

The comment was ignored, and Emma finally said softly, "Some of us need you to tell us how you wound up with scars on your wrists."

Bellamy reddened. They waited, hopeful, expectant. Slowly, Bellamy took his watches off. Connie came softly closer, and reached to touch. Bernice, Evita, Thierry. He looked around, reluctant, Valencio thought. For a moment he met his eyes, and Valencio looked down. They were not very fair on the man, sometimes.

Carol said, "I'm sorry, but some of us need it."

Valencio told himself he didn't need it, but couldn't help himself staring again. The great wizard, John, who'd been tied down once, and couldn't get away.

Evita said to John, "You're trembling." He trembled sometimes, they all knew, and invariably said it meant nothing, as he said again, with some impatience.

Evita said, "Please tell us."

Bellamy sighed, and began, but his colour was still heightened. "It comes from a fear of being made helpless, and confined. They tried to do it to me when I was seventeen, determined efforts to keep me helpless, for all my life. Then again, when I was in my early twenties. They had committal papers, waited until I was very ill, and four aurors turned up with an ambulance trolley to cart me off to a secure prison. They thought I had the potential to be too powerful, you see - a threat to the DMT, though they just called it the Ministry of Magic in those days. So I have nightmares, always have, since I was seventeen. People tried to kill me too, but I never have nightmares about that.

"That was a general fear of imprisonment. The specific fear of ropes round my wrists came later, after a time when I was kidnapped. I was becoming too influential for the liking of certain people, a very respected member of society, a member of the Wizard High Court - sixty of the most respected witches and wizards of the country."

He smiled to himself. "I liked being respectable, and I was never really regarded as respectable afterwards. I was very thoroughly discredited after certain experiences were made public."

"Michael said you were kidnapped, tortured, and starved."

"I was starved because they were too frightened of me to let me wake enough to eat. Understandable, as I would either have killed them, or disapparated."

"So how did you get the scars?"

"They kept me drugged, but there was torture and rape, and ropes around my wrists, except that my memories are very blurred of that time, of course. Hardly any at all, really. But the intention was to discredit me, and film was released afterward, showing me being raped."

John was very red, and Valencio was sorry for him. Adil had tortured him sometimes, but telling anyone would only have made it seem worse. And the idea of film showing him being used! How could he have borne that?

Evita urged John to continue, and he wound his story up simply. "I escaped, disapparated, and found myself lost, starving, and filthy. It had only been three weeks."

Valencio noticed he was trembling again.

"There were ropes, and I didn't even remember how they were used, but they made me feel sick to the stomach, and I vanished them. But ever afterwards, the idea of being tied, frightens the hell out of me." He looked up at them, suddenly looking defensive, vulnerable. "So now I've bared my soul. Are you satisfied?"

Carol was looking at him closely. "You haven't told it all, have you?"

"Surely that's enough!"

Clarence asked, "Were you really convicted of murder?"

"The lesser charge, wrongful killing, and they were extremely generous, and gave me a suspended sentence."

"You killed them."

"I killed the one who raped me, and the other who tried to rape me. I didn't kill the man who organised it in order to destroy my influence, and I didn't kill the ones who were just helpers."

"Did he destroy your influence?"

Bellamy suddenly laughed. "What do you think? There was film of my time in captivity, complete with every humiliating incident, there was actually a pornographic film made up of partly what they did to me, and partly using an actor. That was very widely distributed, even in the medj world. I reckon every wizard in Britain saw that, and most of the witches, and it was totally explicit. I had a cousin who was medj, and when I went to see him, he shoved the film in my face, and said I was a disgrace to the family! There was also film of when I killed the ones who did it. It was the day after I got away, and hidden cameras were recording the whole thing. They pardoned me, years later, but I was never invited to be on the Wizemgamot again, and never thought of as terribly respectable again."

He shrugged. "Maybe I'm not respectable. Respectable people don't kill. And I killed." He glanced at the door, and said, "I suspect the aurors are still shown that bit of film of the killings, and it's partly why they watch me so closely. They pretend to be bodyguards, but they're far too curious, and like to spy."

Valencio also looked at the door, wondering if Michael was eavesdropping.

Gloria was frowning, and finally said, "That can't be how you got those scars on the wrists, though, because if you were drugged, you wouldn't have been struggling against the ropes, or not hard enough to do that."

Bellamy was evasive. "The reason I have scars is because I tend to panic when I'm tied up, and that's because of the ropes when I was kidnapped."

Valencio drank his beer. Maybe it wasn't relevant - the specific instance when John had been scarred. He panicked when tied up, Jimmy had told them that. Valencio looked at his own wrists. How often had he been restrained? Would he panic if someone tried to restrain him again? It sounded a lot like John had been tied, and then raped, even if he didn't remember. How had he survived the humiliation? For himself, he tried to pretend that the women didn't know, though they did, of course. But at least they were all in the same boat. John? His whole world not only knew, but could watch film. He shook his head. John Bellamy still held his head high. He was an extraordinary man.

The women weren't finished with John, even if Valencio would have been happy to let him off the hook. Thierry spoke quietly, but with an intensity, and Valencio heard clearly, though Tasha, next to him, did not. "We need to know, because you've suffered, and yet you're not frightened, and not oversensitive, and you can do things."

Bellamy answered, "I am scarred, though. I think everyone gets scars as they go through life."

Bernice asked, as well, and it seemed nearly all the women were silent, expectant, needing the whole story. Bellamy almost pleaded. "It's not all that traumatic, just a story of stupidity and panic." He did so much for them, and Valencio wasn't surprised when he took a deep breath, and said, "You'll probably only laugh at me, as it was very silly."

There was a pause, but he was only thinking. Finally, he said slowly, "My wife of the time was Julie." He smiled. "I loved her very deeply, and every time she did something a little foolish, I only loved her more. It was a part of her. He laughed softly, remembering. "She adored shopping, and cost me a fortune. And she was an arrant snob, and loved to dress me up and show me off. She liked being married to someone famous, but she didn't like it when I did things that others couldn't, or showed that I was not ordinary. When I had a trembling attack, she'd turn her eyes away because it was an abnormality, and she didn't like abnormalities."

"Did she love you, too?"

"She loved me very much, but sometimes, because of who I am, it was difficult for her."

There was a pause again, and he stared into the distance, a slight smile on his face. They waited respectfully, and he continued. "Julie was shopping with friends while I worked. She was pregnant, but feeling well and very happy. We were in Turkey, and there was a terrorist attack. Julie was injured by shrapnel. She lost her baby, and they took away her womb, so there would never be another. She was very deeply hurt, and she blamed me because I should have stopped it happening. She knew that was not logical of course, but it didn't stop that feeling of anger. It meant that she was easier to influence than she should have been. Magical influence, I mean, instructions instilled."

"Like what you did to us?"

"Probably not as skilled," he answered without apology.

Valencio suddenly laughed. He was hoping they'd throw him out. John grinned at him, and took another sip of his beer. No-one looked like throwing him out.

He continued, "There was a young woman called Nerrissa Malfoy."

"A relation to Bessamy?"

Bellamy nodded. "Same family. Anyway, Nerrissa was beautiful, perverted, wicked, and obsessed with me. You know how some foolish people get obsessed with someone famous? Like that.

"Julie thought she was a friend, and they did a lot together, though I seldom saw her, and only vaguely knew her by sight. There was another player in the farce, Cissy, a young relative of mine, who had sufficient power that I could not break her spells, except by calling up something I refer to as 'the strong magic.' But at that time, I no longer dared use it. There had been an illness, and afterwards, when I tried to cure a patient with it, I collapsed with severe head pain, and nearly died."

"The same sort of head pain Jimmy said you suffered when you were a prisoner?"

"Exactly the same. It has something to do with trying to use magic when there's some sort of block, I think.

"Anyway, Nerrissa and Julie planned a special treat for me, a wedding anniversary present. And I told you she was influenced by someone. She was convinced she was going to give me a high treat."

He grinned at them, shamefaced. "It was truly a farce, so prepare to laugh, or preferably, just let me go."

"This is the story where you hurt your wrists?"

"This is the story - I was tied up probably for less than an hour."

They waited, silent, expectant.

He grinned, and shook his head, but he was red again, as well. "You know about mistresses and dungeons, whips and leather, and chains?"

But they looked confused, and only Jimmy started laughing, helplessly.

He grinned at Jimmy. "Ask Jimmy about what a woman might do who calls herself Mistress Annie."

They turned to Jimmy, and he gave quite a fair explanation of Sadomasochism. Valencio was astounded. Some men _like_ to have pain inflicted? _Pay_ for it? And he was laughing as much as Jimmy.

Carol asked Bellamy, surprised, "Is this when you got whipped?"

Bellamy shook his head. "It never went that far. Even without the strong magic, I could still do magic without a wand, and I was still far more powerful than any ordinary wizard. But Julie took me in blindfolded, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings. She was my wife, and I loved her. I should have sensed the magic on her, but I guess it was subtle, and I missed it. Anyway, she pressed me against the wall, extended my arms, and then Cissy made ropes appear, and tied my wrists to the wall. Cissy is the one whose spells I couldn't break, and Cissy was acting under the Compulsion Curse. There was a barrier she stayed behind, so I couldn't break the spell, a type of barrier we'd worked on together, that neither magic nor telepathy would penetrate.

"So then I was held against the wall, and still trying not to hurt Julie's feelings, but I quite definitely didn't think this was a wonderful sexual experience."

"Wearing a leather hood?"

Bellamy made a face. "I don't know whether to laugh or cringe. I was wearing a leather hood, and someone made my clothes vanish, and Julie was still taking not the slightest notice when I said that she was to free me, that this was not working. So another voice said something about the little man not liking to be tied up."

He shook his head. "The little man _hated_ being tied up, but that one wasn't my wife, and when she touched me, I blasted her off with magic, and I presume that she scuttled away, as I didn't see or hear her again.

"I finally tried to vanish the bonds with magic, and it was only then that I discovered that I couldn't. I could scarcely believe it at first, and tried harder, and then against the wall, before I realised that it was Cissy's spell. I panicked then, struggling against the ropes, and I think maybe the ropes were sharpened, as I did a lot of damage very quickly, not that I was noticing at the time. I managed to get a bit of sense back, and tried to tell Cissy she had to break out of it. I couldn't do anything except beg, because she was behind the barrier.

"Nerrissa, and probably her brother, Kryall, must have been watching and enjoying it from another room. But when they brought in a couple of men to rape the girls in front of me, I really lost control. I made the ceiling crack, and hit as hard as I could against the barrier, but it was Cissy's spell. I was stupid. There were other ways I could have stopped them, but all I could think of at the time was the strong magic, and the last time I'd used that, it nearly killed me, not to mention causing agony like I'd never known. Anyway it worked, and I broke the barrier, vanished the bonds, and took my girls home, but we were all upset, and I didn't really notice how badly I'd damaged my wrists, and they were not properly treated for a couple of days - too late to prevent embarrassing scarring.

"So you see. Just a fairly minor and laughable incident."

"What was the purpose of it all?"

"Nerrissa's enjoyment. We never told anyone. We all thought we'd made awful fools of ourselves. When I went to work the following week, and someone noticed both wrists were bandaged, they were consumed with curiosity. Aurors can't bear something like that - obviously some sort of crime had been involved, and they were supposed to keep me safe, and I said nothing. It's why I wear two watches. Bracelet scars like that tell a story."

He added, "There was a happy ending to the story of Nerrissa's obsession, if you want to hear it."

Jimmy grinned. "Another beer?" Of course they wanted to hear it. There was not a one that was not intensely curious about John, who also had been through imprisonment and ill treatment, and yet was the great wizard.

John drank a little, just thinking, maybe how to tell it.

"Julie was a lot more profoundly upset than I was afterwards. I just had a few extra nightmares for a week or two, but Julie had made the discovery that I could be just as stupid and helpless as anybody else. She left me for a while, and refused to come back. Said it was too hard, that she still loved me, but it was too hard to live with me."

He shook his head. "That was not the happy ending."

"Please go on," said Evita. He took a sip of beer.

"Nerrissa hadn't finished with me. I was off spell-breaking, and like always, there was a team of bodyguards. They must have thought I was too hard to get on with, maybe not enough sex, because one night, they let a girl into my room, and she slipped naked into bed while I was asleep."

"So you had sex?"

"Of course. She offered and she caught me at a weak moment, though I would never, normally, have chosen to go to bed with a girl so young."

"How young?"

"Eighteen, I think."

Valencio was relieved. 'A girl so young,' but not twelve or fourteen, as the Khatabis liked. Eighteen, a woman. It would have been horrible to think of John as the same as a Khatabi.

"Just a few days later, she was hit by a Death Curse. I killed the man who did it, but didn't know at the time Nerrissa was behind it."

"Did you get into trouble for killing that man?"

"I'd learned a bit by then. I let him draw his wand first, in front of witnesses, before killing him. So that made it a duelling death, and that was not punishable. It was as much an execution as the others, but I didn't get into trouble for it."

"You're right, you're not very respectable."

"Little Tessa was just an innocent girl, with a poor choice in men. She should not have paid for it with her life! Anyway, Julie came back. She never held Tessa against me, and seemed calmer again. I didn't quite know what was happening. It didn't seem I was directly threatened, but in South America, one of my patients, the moment I cured him, was supposed to put a spell on me."

He laughed, and drank his beer.

"What spell?"

He shook his head. "A spell to make me a laughing stock. Called the Stallion Spell."

They stared at him, and then suddenly Eva laughed, and he nodded at her, "Exactly so."

There was general hilarity then, as they pictured it.

"Ever practised on you, Clarence?" he asked, as Clarence shook with laughter. Clarence shook his head. The Stallion Spell!

Valencio winced. Thank God it had not been practised on them! He bet the Khatabi men would have loved that one!

Bellamy slipped his watches back on. "There were about three attempts to get to me in the next day or two, and it was getting too dangerous. What if they hurt someone else like they hurt Tessa? So I said no more spell-breaking work for a bit. But then I was called urgently to Germany. Two dozen victims of the Rindi Curse, and medj victims, too. Mostly wizards leave medj strictly alone. It's one of those basic rules - _Don't_ interfere with Medj. Don't get Wizardkind noticed. Far too dangerous.

"Anyway, Medj are far harder to rescue from the Rindi Curse, as they start to die straightaway. On the other hand, they don't go mad with rage, and try to kill the one that pulls them out. After so many, I was exhausted, no longer alert. But there were bodyguards all around, and I was in a private home. Went to bed early, and woke up late the following day feeling as tired or more so, than I was the previous night. It seemed there was a disturbance overnight, I was away for a few hours, with Simon, one of the aurors, and brought back unconscious in his arms. Nerrissa had finally decided what she wanted, and had it."

He grinned sheepishly. "Did you know an unconscious man can be used to get someone pregnant?"

They looked at him, incredulous.

"Simon told me. They had him under the Compulsion Spell, but he managed to break out of it, and take me back. But she had her wicked way with me first."

"She managed to have sex with an unconscious man?"

"According to Simon, and there was positive proof about seven months later, when she was killed and her baby delivered. And as she'd declared to the world that I was the father, Julie and I were given the baby." He smiled. "We called him Adrian, and Julie was just as proud of him as if she was his own mother."

Bernice said, "That's your happy ending?"

"Adrian was a joy to us both. It was not, of course, a happy ending for Nerrissa."

"Was he really yours?"

"He looked very like me. A touch smaller, maybe because he was premature. The Malfoys were always fair, but Adrian had black hair, and wore glasses. He was my son, and Julie was ecstatic to be a mother, after all."

Gloria said, "True confessions over for the night?"

Bellamy said, "No more from me, that's for sure."

Thierry said, "Thanks for telling us."

Bellamy said very gently, and just for her, "Just sometimes, things work out alright."

Gloria asked, "What happened to Cissy? It sounds like she was nearly as powerful as you."

"She may have had the potential to become so, but I grew in power with years, and Cissy died suddenly when she was just thirty-nine. Raised an increased intensity of magic to break a spell, collapsed with severe head pain, and died."

There was a pause, as they remembered that it was something he'd suffered as well.

Carol asked, "Adrian?"

"Grew up to become headmaster of an American wizarding school, married a medj girl, and had a daughter called Candice, but Candice had no magic, and is now dead, too."

He was beginning to veer onto the dangerous ground of just how old he was, and most of them shied off from that knowledge, as he shied off from talking about it. Valencio didn't. He very much wanted to know just exactly how old John was. Mostly he seemed young, but sometimes he seemed so very old, very wise.

Bellamy wanted to change the subject, and his eyes suddenly rested on Jimmy. "Jimmy, always wanted to know what the soldiers were told about me?"

Jimmy said, "You asked me that once before, others too, I heard, but it was not something we were allowed to discuss."

"You're telling everyone else John Doe stories. Maybe you could tell me."

Jimmy laughed. "Fair enough. We were told that you'd shown a power, and that no-one knew what you were. We had to be very careful, not provoke you into rash acts, in case you could be dangerous, and on no account to allow you out of the Compound. I'm pretty sure it was the reason that there was never any alcohol either, though I think the officers might have had some in their dining room."

Bellamy thanked him, and seeing that the medj were beginning to talk among themselves, he relaxed into his chair, and finished his glass of beer.

Valencio was thinking still, about the foolishness of Julie, the wife. How could she tie her husband like that? Magical influence? Or spite? He shuddered, thinking again about the wrist cuffs he'd worn so long. The moment he'd seen Pervez, he'd known that he must not be taken. He'd been taken, numbered, cuffed, and made so horridly, incredibly dirty. Adil had done some terrible things, but Fahada had been the worst. Tortured with the act he hated with all his might. He hadn't been able to put the pain away from himself that time. He'd fought against the restraints, not that it ever did the slightest good.

Bellamy took his watches off again, and put them in his pocket. Valencio didn't notice, but Thierry did. She was still staring at him, as if his every act was fraught with significance.

Tifffany asked Bellamy, "Did you know Force B and Force A had an enormous brawl because of you?"

"No."

So Jimmy had to repeat the story, and then Jimmy asked how he'd eventually escaped.

"I woke up in Ward 3, knew they were doing something to me again, made a few in the room faint, and disapparated. Wound up in my tree. The Colonel back in the building told someone, 'Disable him,' and I suddenly had a disabling pain in my head. But it wasn't as bad as when my head hurt by itself, and I destroyed the camera that watched next to me, and then made the pain stop, and then the RAB. I tried to disapparate again, to finally escape, but I didn't know how I'd done it, and couldn't do it again."

There was a hush again, as people listened. He grinned at Jimmy. "So then I turned myself into a hawk, and flew away." He glanced at the door, and said, "And don't tell anyone that, either, as no-one knows I can do it."

Valencio stared, and said slowly, "You turned myself into a hawk, and flew away." He shook his head, and said, "Narzu-Han told me it was only myth, that certain wizards could turn themselves into animals."

"It's very rare now, and I haven't heard of anyone for many years. But I learned just before I left school, because so many were trying to kill me then, and I needed every defence I could muster."

They were still incredulous, and Margaret shook her head, and said flatly, "I can't believe it!"

Brigitta went close to him, and pleaded, "Please show me. I want to see."

"You're the medj who don't like magic, remember. You might like to see, I bet not everyone does."

Carol grinned. "Anyone _not_ want to see?"

"I want to see," said Emma.

"And I," said Gloria.

There was a clamour of demanding voices, and Carol raised a hand for hush, and asked again, "Anyone not want to see?"

No-one spoke, and Carol turned to Bellamy, smiling, and said, "Please?"

Brigitta said, "Please," and put on her best beseeching expression.

He laughed, "No wonder you had Abensur twisted around your little finger!" Still laughing, he stood, and swiftly, his form changed, and a hawk stretched its wings, and gave a hoarse cry. Before the medj could close their mouths, a dog streaked towards him, followed by several more. Untidily, he took off, wings beating urgently, as Trey leapt up to grab the unnatural beast. He settled on the top of a cupboard, as dogs stood up against it, still urgent in their desire to tear the thing to pieces. He reached up a claw, and scratched his head, cautiously looked down over the edge of the cupboard, and swiftly pulled his head back, as Trey leapt up, sharp teeth bared.

Valencio was up, and calling to Trey. Carol said, "Vince, don't worry. He says to just get Michael."

Valencio looked questioningly at the hawk, and could see John, but he was laughing. He grinned, himself, and just stood back, watching, as Carol opened the door, and Michael almost fell in, followed by Dot. They'd been eavesdropping, alright!

Carol pointed to the hawk, and Dot and Michael stared, very confused. "That's not the boss!" Michael said in disbelief.

The hawk carefully looked over the edge of the cupboard again, and again beat a swift retreat, as Trey leapt up, trying to destroy the unnatural beast.

Michael said, "Maybe I should stun him?"

He apparently heard an assent, as he pointed his wand, and Trey fell.

Valencio's smile was wiped off his face. Bloody wizards! He so hated that they could stun or paralyse, or do anything they wanted.

He stayed frozen, and only watched as the other dogs were pacified and held firmly by their owners, Shaz by Dot. The hawk stretched his wings, and gently glided back to Bellamy's chair. Gloria's cat swiped at him, claws bared, and when he reverted to his normal form, there was a scratch across his cheek.

"Your glasses came back - and your clothes. It's not logical," protested Jimmy.

"Of course it's not logical, it's magic. Some witches and wizards spend a lifetime in research, trying to explain things like that. But some things are not explicable."

He went to his dog, and stroked him. Trey got to his feet, looked to the top of the cupboard, and growled.

Bellamy glanced at Valencio's stony face, and Valencio heard his voice, _Sorry._ A bloody wizard with telepathy. They were the worst. But everyone else was laughing, happy. Tasha would be cross if he left. And after all, he'd always known they were wizards, and hadn't worried about all the other magic he'd seen them do.

Michael said very sternly, "All animagi are supposed to be registered with the Ministry."

Bellamy's answer was defensive, "The last registered animagus was over a hundred years ago, and anyway, Dieter knows."

Dot gave Michael a gentle thump on the arm, and said, "You're not an auror now, you're not going to turn in your own boss, are you?"

Clarence offered them beers each, said that serious business was finished, and they were welcome to stay. Dot looked questioningly at Carol, who nodded. The evening became a party then, though Valencio took a long time to relax, and stayed well away from both Bellamy and Michael.

xdividerx

Valencio drove to Duich in the morning, a list of errands in his pocket as usual. He went to the jeweller's shop that he knew, as well, greeting the McConachies, mother and daughter, buying a small necklace for Tasha, and asking, as he had before, if they would like him to do any lifting or carrying for them.

Old Elspeth smiled at the young man, and asked him to get down some things from a high shelf for her, as she didn't like climbing ladders these days. He looked so fit and well now, confident. And the skin over wrists no longer showed pale from the wearing of manacles.

"Thank you, Vince," she said afterwards, and asked about Tasha.

"She's well, and has been looking at doing a course of study for a new career, just doesn't know what."

"She likes jewellery?"

Valencio grinned, "She adores it, new clothes, too, but we'll need to set ourselves up in a new home one of these days, so I can't buy her much, and she's saving every penny."

"An outside job?"

Valencio looked doubtful, and said, "One day, no doubt."

Mrs. McConachie said comfortably, "It takes a little while sometimes, to get used to normal living again."

Valencio said, "It's been over a year, and there's a lot still hardly go off the property, even now."

"I heard a lot of you were prisoners for many years."

Valencio looked slightly hunted, and gave no information.

Mrs. McConachie said kindly, "Think about it. It will vary, of course, but for each year of captivity, maybe you have to allow at least a month of readjustment."

Twenty-six years, in the case of Tasha. Twenty-six months? He said, "Maybe you're right."

After he left, Alison asked her mother, "Does he realise we know what he must have been?"

Her mother answered, "He told me he was just a servant, who'd married another."

Alison shook her head, "Not with those looks!" And then added, scathingly, "Vince _McDonald!"_

Valencio meantime, completed his errands, bought himself a beer in the pub, and watched the men who were dissecting last weekend's soccer game, before driving home, smoothly and competently, and hardly at all too fast.

_xchapter endx_


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 17:_

Tasha greeted him the moment he returned, "Two tabby, one ginger, and one sort of blackish tabby ginger - quite an ugly colour, but they're all amazing."

Valencio was confused, and Tasha explained, "Ginger's kittens, of course!"

"Ginger's kittens!" and he hurried to look. There was already a cooing audience, the four tiny kittens lined up suckling. Ginger blinked at them lazily, not apparently perturbed as one after another put out a finger to touch.

Tasha said, "John came to see, said they were amazingly beautiful, and he'll bring us the pup next Friday."

Kaede asked, "When they're grown a little, can I have one?"

"Three are already claimed, but there's the ugly one left."

Kaede smiled, "I think I like ugly."

Valencio agreed, "I like ugly." He stroked Ginger's head, and she purred, before touching 'Ugly.'

Tasha smiled at him, "Did you want to keep her then?"

"Not if Kaede wants her. And anyway, I guess she'll have more kittens one day."

Tasha remarked, "Every single cat and dog on the place, except for Ginger, is supposedly either neutered, or under a lifetime anti-conception spell."

Kaede spoke softly, "Thank you, Vince. I'll call her Susiya, after a dear friend, who was not at all ugly."

"Susiya," Valencio repeated, wanting to remember.

That evening, Carol hushed the room, and said that Evita wished to speak. Valencio looked at the floor, thinking it was harder to listen all the time. Twelve-year-olds, poor kids. First Evita had her say, then Inge, both very brief. But then, Brigitta had been spared, Tashfin found dead. Valencio suddenly exclaimed, "I know who it was. I reckon it was old Bouchra Khatabi, you know, the one in the wheelchair. She raised a hand to us when we were in that first group went to see the App. Box."

Carol frowned, thinking, but Brigitta was waiting, and she turned her full attention back to the girl.

Valencio said, "Sorry, Brigitta. I should not have interrupted."

Brigitta continued, "Anyway, as everyone knows, Abensur marked me for his own use, which he got away with, because neither Hicham nor Haru bothered disputing. And when he did it for the first time, he was gentle. The only time he frightened me was not so long before Zhor and Najia came, and he put straps around my knees, ankles, wrists, even waist and thighs, and bent me over the Brieke-tei, just like Clarence described. But while he was excited, and kept saying it was going to happen to me whether I wanted it or not, I still think if I'd made a fuss, he would have stopped. But I bit my lip and tried to remember that he had to be kept happy, even if he hurt me. Evita could do it, so I could, too. But he went very, very slowly, and scarcely hurt, and after a while, when I saw he had the Brieke-tei in his bedroom, it only got me excited."

She looked up frankly at them. "I think I was extremely lucky, and in any other culture, Abensur would simply have been an ordinary, kind man, even though he might have killed us all then, if he had orders - and only felt a mild regret."

Carol said, "I'm sure he would have killed us as kindly as possible. He would have contrived it somehow that we wouldn't even know it was happening."

Valencio said, "We did have our weapons. I had enough for everyone."

Carol looked at him kindly, and said, "I have not the smallest doubt that you would have been dead first. He would not have risked you attacking."

Valencio nodded. "You're probably right. He knew me very well." He looked at Brigitta, quite seriously, "Thank you, Brigitta. You were the one chiefly responsible for giving all of us, our lives back."

Brigitta went red, and looked down.

Helene said, "It's funny that Brigitta said that about the Brieke-tei, as Issan wanted that about that time, though he was less gentle than you say Abensur was."

"Zhang too," said Eva. "We'd been together for years by then, and suddenly there was this fancy."

A few others said that they, too, had experienced it.

"Botan was horrible," shuddered Angini. "I bled, and then was sore for days. I was too embarrassed to tell one of the guards, though I should have. He might have been punished."

"When was it?" asked Jimmy.

"About six weeks before Zhor and Najia came, I think, but then he went off on a job a few days later, thank goodness."

Jimmy frowned and said, "There may have been something in our group. I wonder if some of us were used that way. I don't remember anything, but Abensur treated Stewart differently from everyone else, and he sometimes acted as if he was especially fond of Harry, too."

Brigitta shuddered. "He wouldn't use a man like that!"

Valencio said nothing, and neither did anyone else.

For a half hour, the talk was general. It was different, these days. The subject of their experiences in captivity was no longer avoided, and there were fewer uncomfortable silences. But even now, there was little talk of what had happened in the working bedrooms, and Clarence, as well as Valencio, preferred to act as if he'd never known any of the men in that way.

xdividerx

Friday afternoon, Bellamy found Valencio with a load of washing in the laundry. He said, "Vince?"

Valencio turned and beamed, reaching out for the little black and white pup, and cuddling, as Bellamy watched, smiling.

"You'll have to name her," he said.

The puppy whined.

Valencio shook his head, and said, "No idea." He stroked, and the pup wet his arm, making him laugh, and set her down. The pup sniffed around, and finished wetting on the floor.

Valencio said, "Toilet-training, first, I think."

"Do you know how to go about it?"

"There's a book in the library. Tasha's had it out for weeks." He suddenly laughed, "Did you put it there?"

Bellamy grinned, "I delegated. Dot arranged it."

Valencio glanced at his wrists, and said, "I bet you wear your watches everywhere else!"

"Of course I do. Don't like embarrassing questions."

"How do you handle it, when people ask awkward questions?"

"Unless they need to know, for some reason, I just change the subject. We all have things in our pasts we don't like to share."

"Reporters are not easily put off," observed Valencio, picking up the puppy again.

"I have a very simple rule, no interviews, no autographs. I'm seldom pestered by reporters, and the bodyguards help, they don't let them near."

Valencio nodded. Simple. No interviews, no autographs. He remembered autograph signing sessions. His mother had been very fierce about his 'duty to his fans.' Not that he was planning on doing any acting, of course. He didn't think he could stand his history being known... He asked, "Have the bodyguards ever saved your life?"

"A few times. One died once. I felt dreadful. Alexander, the father of Kupec, who nearly always looks after me, now."

"It seems strange, that you have bodyguards."

"I never asked for them, the DMT insists. It's mostly because no-one else can do the work I do. I'm valuable to them."

Valencio abandoned his laundry, and strolled out to show the pup to Tasha. He remarked to Bellamy, "Ginger's kittens were all claimed within hours."

"Dot or Michael can do anti-conception spells, so there's not another litter too soon."

"Can they do only temporary ones?"

"There are lifetime ones, but I prefer the ones that last a year. It's good to have room for accidents." He grinned, "Everyone else at home thinks there's far too many cats and dogs, but I like them."

Connie, Mary and Bernice told their stories that evening, girls of ten and eleven, taken from a Catholic Confirmation ceremony, right out in front of anyone, and apparently without any disturbance, or not that the women could remember. Connie said, "Like Emma, I always felt as if there should have been scars, but the edges of the straps were soft."

The puppy, still not named, lay in a basket, next to Tasha, who touched gently whenever there was the slightest whimper. Ginger was still in their cottage, with the four kittens.

There were not many to go, and those left were beginning to feel the pressure. Gloria was becoming increasingly edgy, and was sometimes very rude to Bellamy, who seemed to have no trouble keeping his temper. At the same time, she was demanding, and Valencio had a few times saddled up a horse for her, when she announced she had to gallop fast with John.

Valencio was glad he'd told his story early on, though Tasha still maintained he hadn't done it at all. Valencio was defensive, "I told them about how I was caught, and they know now that I was in films."

Tasha quoted derisively, "I hated the Brieke-tei. Five years later, I tried to strangle Narzu-Han." She smiled at her husband, "It's just a little short on detail."

"Clarence didn't say any more, and some of the women were even more brief."

"Don't worry about it. It's not compulsory after all. Just that one has to face what happened, I think, and I don't believe you have."

Valencio said, "Look, the pup's making a mess again."

Tasha made an exclamation, and went to the puppy. Valencio heaved a sigh. Good puppy.

The next evening, Valencio thought about suggesting they watch a film instead, but Tasha was already looking stern. Reluctantly, he rose, and followed her to the ballroom, hoping that the talk might only be of dogs, cats and horses that evening. Maybe Belinda could play for them. Belinda had spoken early, almost casually betraying herself a little. 'When things get too difficult, one can always pretend you're somewhere else.' And after that, though she was always present, she rarely spoke about anything to do with the Khatabi enclosures.

There were a lot of curious glances at Valencio that evening. He knew what that was about. Inge and Brigitta had gone with Dot to choose an assortment of films that week, and among them were two of those he'd been in - the second and the third. He had no intention of indulging his curiosity by watching the second film, which he scarcely remembered, released only a couple of months before he was taken, and he'd already seen the third film on TV. He wondered for the first time, if it really would make it easier to accept, if he told what had happened to him. But the women? How could he tell the women? The bitter shame was still too much a part of him.

Carol stood, and said, "Just so everyone knows, John will no longer be staying here from the end of June, or at least, not for a while."

Kaede said, "So there's just over two weeks, and if he's our good luck charm, maybe I'd best speak tonight."

Maliwan said, "Of course, if we don't choose to speak, no-one's going to make us!"

Gloria said aggressively, "No-one's going to make _me_ speak!"

No-one said anything, but Valencio wondered why she was there every single night, along with the rest of them. All she had to do was stay away, not like him, under orders. He glanced at Tasha, and wondered if she'd seen those films.

Tasha had declined, looking at the pictures on the cover, and deciding she didn't want to see him as he'd been before. They had all sustained damage, she knew. But some of them were worse damaged than others, and Valencio, who casually drove to Duich, even Edinburgh, and seemed to have no fear of doing new things - she thought he might be the most damaged of all.

Kaede asked, "May I speak?"

Carol smiled, "Chocolates? Or beer, like Bellamy had?"

Kaede said, "We put him through a lot, when he's the one who rescued us."

Gloria said, "He's tough. I suspect he hasn't told us the half of what's happened to him in his life." She looked away, momentarily shamefaced. "He can tolerate my tantrums!"

Kaede said, "They seem to have something about women in white. Myself, Susiya, Azahari. We were taken just after we bowed our heads, and took the vows to become nuns, but before they cut off our hair. It must have been a challenge, as there was a whole congregation of proud, but regretful parents, as well as sixty nuns, and a few probationers and priests, all in the church. And yet they kept them all under control. The three of us were sorted out, and then Yiko Khatabi looked at us, and we repeated in unison that our vows to God were unimportant. I remember it exactly. In French, of course - that a life in a closed order is a waste of beautiful women, and we were going to serve the needs of men, instead. And then, as the congregation gaped, the three of us filed out after Yiko."

Valencio remembered Ugly, the kitten, whom she'd named Susiya. That had been her dear friend.

"They stripped us, and studied us a lot more closely then, and made the discovery that I was not a virgin. I think I was nearly rejected, but Yiko caressed my face, and they decided to keep me after all. They performed the Nala Spell, gave us numbers - we were 4, 5 and 6, almost the first of a new intake for Enclosure 1. Enclosure 2 was empty."

"It must have been straight after Pamela."

Kaede nodded. "I am the oldest survivor here."

"The clothing of Susiya and Azahari was put away carefully, and they were given new clothes, and not touched, but Yiko looked at my gown, laughed, and vanished it. He didn't tolerate any struggle, just told me that it would be easier on me if I did what I was told, and I think it was. Taking us away from in front of a large congregation, without any hint of a struggle, was enough for me. There hadn't been a wand in sight. He had me that night, and there were several others in the succeeding nights, but the others were not touched until we arrived in Morocco. Then they had to put on the dresses they wore when making their vows, and Yuri had Susiya, and Karim used Azahari. They secured wrists and ankles, even when they'd intended to be obedient, and when the first ones were finished, there were several more, though I usually only had one a night, and so did they, after the first night.

"I decided to try and serve God in this new environment, and I tried to look after the children, and after a while, I started a school for them, though we had so few books then. I thought it would be a comfort, this sign of normality, and they should at least, learn to read well, as maybe one day, we would be free. We learned Arabic quickly, like every new one does, but at that time, the language we spoke was mostly French. Later, it changed to English.

"Susiya and Azahari were killed in a cull, and then I lost more friends in the next cull, but it wasn't until the affair of Laura and Emma that I decided that God could not exist, and that maybe it served me right. I'd been prepared to throw away my life for superstition, and instead I'd been made a prisoner, but at least someplace where I could be useful. So I continued with the school, and taught Emma to read, but she was the last of the really small children."

She smiled at Carol, and said, "I've always liked chocolates."

Carol offered the chocolates, and said, "Your school. It was so important to me. Sometimes, I'd whine that I had a tummy ache and didn't want to go to school, and when I was told I had to, I was comforted. Like you said, it was a sign of normality."

Bernice said to Kaede, "I never knew you were going to be a nun."

Kaede said, "I was going to be a nun - to throw my life away for superstition, and now I have my life given back to me."

She studied the chocolate, still wrapped in her hand. "I don't like it that John's put magic on us, but I understand he thinks it necessary. I will not ask him again to take it off."

xdividerx

Lucy and Eva the next evening. They'd been seventeen and eighteen, models, taken for the new enclosure in New York, then taken to Japan, then finally to Morocco. Eva concluded, "When we got there, we looked for those others from New York, but we were not surprised they were not there, and we could only hope that the same thing hadn't happened to the ones in Japan."

"We still have no ideas how to make the memorial at the conclusion of the Pamela Track."

Gloria said viciously, "If Bellamy would properly free us, there'd be no problem."

No-one spoke up to agree, but Maliwan offered her the chocolates.

Valencio asked Eva, "Was there a boy called Jeremy in Japan?"

Eva shook her head. "No boys or men, only the one called Patrick, who'd vanished not long before."

Valencio nodded casually, and wandered off.

Eva whispered to Lucy, "He was a real film star, not just any actor."

"Kaede nearly cried when she looked at the picture on the cover."

"Someone told me he attacked his first owner, and that was Faheem, and then Adil owned him, and he stuck a blade in his eye."

Valencio gave them a resentful look. He didn't like them whispering about him. They took their eyes off him, and Lucy said, "We survived, against all the odds."

"Are we too old to start modelling again, do you think?"

xdividerx

The following day, Valencio saddled Patrick for Gloria again. He was one of the few people whom she didn't seem to want to snap at these days, but even Valencio took no risks. He was surprised when she announced she intended to ride Kennedy afterwards, but only said, "Tell me when you want him, and I'll have him saddled."

Kennedy was the horse that had thought all people were enemies, as Bellamy had explained in February, when they'd bought him. No. 23, now Kennedy.

There were only five now who hadn't told their stories - Thierry, Farfalla, and Adolfina, plus Gloria and Maliwan. Valencio asked Tasha if he found a job, was she ready to leave yet. Tasha answered that maybe when the kittens were older, and the pup, whom she'd named Shona. Valencio caressed the little dog, and said how nice it would be when she could follow at his heels, as Trey and Shaz followed John.

He still felt they had to leave, become independent. They could not rely on wizards forever, whether or not they were good people. Some of the older ones would never leave, he thought. Bernice, Connie, Mary, Kaede, Kwai-Jeeha, who had to be over sixty, he thought, though she didn't look it. Both Emma and Thierry were still so timid, and he'd promised Emma he'd stay until she no longer needed him. Did she really need him?

John had promised a home, as long as any of them were alive. For some, he suspected, it would be needed. It was a good home - comfortable, without worries, no demands.

That day, Dot put a notice up, notifying them that she and Michael would be leaving at the end of June. Carol told anyone who asked that she'd been acting as manager for several weeks, and that if help was needed, all she had to do was ask, and apparation was instant. She appeared calm and confident.

Valencio was positive she was nervous, but when Tasha sighed that they could depend on Carol, who always knew what to do, said, "Of course we can, and there's the other seven of the Committee as well, of course."

Tasha asked him to saddle Honey for her, and said, "I'm going to practise jumping, but John told me not to think about taking her to a show yet, or maybe only for Best Rider or Show events.

"You look so lovely on her, your hair is just the colour of her mane and tail."

"Yes, but at a gymkhana, you have to wear a riding hat."

No-one told their stories that evening, instead, there was speculation about exactly what Bellamy had done to the Khatabi men and women.

Valencio remarked, "I can't imagine anyone being able to defeat Yiko."

Mariabella said, "Hicham seemed to think it was done when there were five of them together, including Yiko and Narzu-Han."

"We could ask him. I'd love to know a bit more."

Carol rose, but came back disappointed. "He's out. Michael seemed to think a girlfriend."

A lot of the women looked rather blank. Their John, and he was out with a girlfriend. Gloria said, "We're only medj, of course, dirt-people. He wouldn't want to have sex with one of us."

Unwisely, Valencio said, "His wife was medj, remember."

Gloria snapped that it didn't mean a thing, and stalked off, leaving early.

She was angry again in the morning, when Bellamy explained that he couldn't attend the ballroom as requested that evening, as he was expected somewhere else. Gloria glared at him, and almost spat, "Wednesday, since we're not important enough to make you change your date."

Bellamy smiled at her, "I like Rhoda, I promised I'd go to a wedding with her, and I don't expect to be back until morning."

Maliwan put a hand on the arm of her angry friend, and Gloria abruptly turned her back on him.

The talk went on to Bellamy's new invention, the Farfalla, which, he said with satisfaction, would be under every wizard Christmas tree in the land.

Adolfina said, "Carol told me that wizards are not religious."

Bellamy grinned. "Religious we're not mostly, but Christmas is special, and you don't have to be religious to enjoy a festival. And anyway, Jesus was probably a wizard!"

There was vociferous argument then. Bellamy put up his case for it, but had to admit that Jesus didn't figure in wizarding history. "Christmas trees do, though, for millennia. I reckon the idea of a Christmas tree seeped into medj culture from wizard culture," and he was able to quote a few sources that spoke about a mid-winter festival that included several customs that could easily have been the forerunners of a traditional Christmas.

There were no stories Tuesday evening. Instead, there was talk of all they knew of how Bellamy had so weakened the Khatabi family. Ingrid was asked again for that wonderful story when she'd expected to lose her virginity, and instead had beaten Hicham with a shoe. Mariabella said again how changed Hicham was, that he'd never been all that bad before, just indifferent. But afterwards, he was very, very careful not ever to hurt. "He even agreed to see the healer, and have his bad breath fixed, though I didn't ask for ages - still frightened of being punished." She added, "He's married to Agneta, one of the trainee healers, now."

Nikola said, "Shar-kutsu told me Bellamy made the healers, the three of them, go into the App. Box when it was tested for the first time. He told them it was perfectly likely to explode, or just to kill all the occupants. And when they hesitated, he threatened to conjure vertical bars, and restrain them."

There were broad grins from most of those who had been in Enclosure 2, but Jimmy looked sick at the memory.

Carol asked with relish, "Do you think Ahjmed might be the same as Hicham, creeping around timidly for fear of being drawn into an argument?"

"I hope so," said Shirley, fervently. Ahjmed had been around a long time, and most of them had experienced his casual cruelty.

Lucy said, "Yiko used me several times when I was in Japan, but of course, I never thought of resisting. Funny to think I might have been able to beat him up, and he wouldn't have done anything."

Eva said, "He stopped coming to the enclosures remember. Maybe someone did resist, and he found he couldn't force her."

It was a very pleasant thought.

Valencio couldn't imagine it. Yiko didn't need magic. He could just tell someone to want him, and they would.

The gathering dissolved into small groups. Gloria said that Kennedy was being perfectly well behaved, but that no-one else should ride him yet, and the boss didn't want her going off with him alone. Maharni said that she wanted to ride Nigretta in the showing at the next horse show in mid July, and Ingrid put in a claim for Annie Oakley. Helene said that it was unlikely that Bellamy would be there, but Emma said that they were all very brave now, and he was no longer needed. Gloria started to write down horses and prospective riders, as they would need to practise together.

Helene said, "We're nearly finished our work here, and maybe we could make this gymkhana almost like a graduation ceremony. All of us go, every single one of us, and as many as possible compete."

Carol looked at her thoughtfully, and said, "Some of us will probably leave by Christmas. Maybe we need to do one very big thing together, as a team effort."

"The horses were our first achievement. Just riding for some, successfully competing for others. It seems appropriate, doesn't it."

Valencio grinned, "There's only a few weeks. You'll have to practise!"

There was other talk. Connie said there was an artist who used to live on Bellamy's place and there was a gallery of her pictures there. "Clare de Silva, and her paintings were lovely. He said he'd take Mary and I to see it one day."

Clarence spoke with Jimmy and Valencio about starting on the hayshed, and then they could make their own hay. Brigitta looked at Jimmy, and asked, "Will you be here by autumn?"

Jimmy smiled at her. "I'll be wherever you are until I can persuade you to marry me!"

Brigitta replied that she couldn't think about marriage until she'd finished school - two years.

Clarence said to Valencio, "I think you should stay a while as well, though I know you're ready to move on. Just that the women need a few men around."

"Dot and Michael will be gone. It'll be just us."

Clarence grinned at him understandingly, "No bloody wizards!"

Valencio allowed, "They're good for some things. There's an awful lot of work to do with the horses, now Melanie or Susan are not just waving wands."

Jimmy asked Clarence, "What about you? Would you do without magic entirely if you could?"

"Heavy work building's good with magic. And I've still got my shaver."

"Me, too," admitted Valencio. "I wouldn't know how to shave with a razor."

Jimmy demanded clarification, and Clarence described it, and then said, with a smile, "Valencio was coming visiting Enclosure 1 every night for over a year, so he could use my shaver."

Jimmy asked blankly, "Why?"

Valencio answered, "I didn't want them to notice that I was growing up and needed to shave. Afraid they'd castrate me, and if they did, the later the better."

Jimmy stared at him, appalled. Valencio looked at him uneasily, and said, "It never happened. Even when Nusa'pei said to Narzu-Han they should do it, Narzu-Han refused, and just hobbled me a while instead."

Clarence said, "About six months, wasn't it?"

Jimmy was still looking horrified, and Valencio said, "Being hobbled was great. The women thought they had to console me, because it was such a terrible punishment, and every morning, a different one would come and help me shower. I loved it."

Clarence laughed, "No wonder you took it so cheerfully!"

Jimmy swallowed, and asked, "Just feet?"

"Feet and right hand." Valencio grinned, remembering the achievement. He stood. "Like this. Feet about a foot apart, and right wrist tied to right ankle. And I learned to hit anyway, and knocked down one of the guards with my right fist. I don't think he could quite understand how he was suddenly on the ground." He'd never spoken of his time in captivity so easily. Maybe the women were right. Maybe it didn't all need to be buried.

Brigitta said, "Show me."

"Show you what?"

"How you hit out with a tied down right hand."

"It was fifteen years ago! And it's a hard floor."

Brigitta said airily, "I don't believe it then."

"Come outside then, on the grass, and I'll see whether I can still do it." He looked at those who followed him out, and said, "Someone will have to volunteer to be hit, of course."

"I think you might pretend a guard."

Valencio looked at his feet, and moved them experimentally, remembering the short steps, and then raised his right fist, and stopped where he would have been pulled short by the hobbles. He said, "Come on, Clarence. I won't connect, and I probably can't even do it any more."

Clarence grinned, approached Valencio, and raised a hand. "This is my wand, and I'm about to inflict donkey ears."

Valencio's eyes narrowed, and he jacknifed his body, lashed out with feet and right fist, neatly rolled, and came to his feet again, raising both hands for applause. There were cheers, and Clarence shook his head. "If I were a guard, I certainly wouldn't have expected that!"

"What did they do to you?"

"Narzu-Han was my owner at that time. He probably gave me date scones!"

Clarence said, "I wonder if Bernice can cook date scones."

They wandered back inside, and Tasha asked Valencio what he'd been up to. He looked more cheerful than she was accustomed to seeing him, when in the ballroom.

There was a lot of talk of future plans. Some spoke about starting businesses. Others about training for a career. Yet others spoke only about doing hobby courses, available in Bogridge.

Wednesday evening, Bellamy, Michael and Dot found there were ample supplies of beer, as well as other drinks, and party foods. "We're celebrating the downfall of the Khatabis," Carol said, "And we want to start with a detailed description of what happened."

Bellamy settled himself down with a beer, and started to talk, a lot more willingly than he had on the previous occasion.

"We were in New York spell-breaking, and they were having terrible problems with the Khatabis. They asked me to kill Yiko Khatabi, as they said he was the ringleader. But killing one wouldn't have made much difference. So as soon as I got the address, I went there, found five men in a room, paralysed and tied them up, and then gave them instructions, one by one - not to hurt any person or animal, and I told each of them that they had to go to a different place, and stay there."

"Who did you tell?"

"Yiko, Ahjmed, Hicham, Adil, Narzu-Han, and two others in a second room, Iyad and Faheem. Seven men, then eight women in a different area of the house, except I told the women they could defend themselves if attacked, and that they should take their children."

"Those ones you say, especially Yiko and Ahjmed, they were _very_ powerful, and Yiko and Narzu-Han, they had telepathy as well."

Bellamy nodded. "Yiko and Narzu-Han combined, and came close to defeating me. I couldn't hold the paralysis of the others, so it was a good thing I tied them up to begin with."

Kaede said, "I saw Yiko hold over a hundred people under control once, and give specific instructions to myself and two others at the same time."

Carol said, "The Khatabi-Richi spoke of him with absolute awe. They said there was no-one else like him, and all the most powerful Khatabis bore his blood."

They stared at Bellamy, as if they hadn't seen him before. Gloria said accusingly, "He was a hundred and twenty years old."

Valencio stared into the distance. Narzu-Han, always so controlled, always so much in command. Nearly always. Just once, he'd seen him lose his temper. Surprising he'd survived it, really. Yiko, who didn't seem quite human. Small, yellow-skinned, old, and so very, very knowing. Yiko and Narzu-Han had been together, with Ahjmed, who was feared all over Arabia. Adil and Hicham, as well. Five of the most powerful wizards in the world, two with telepathy, and John had defeated them.

Valencio sighed, and turned his attention back to the man who looked so ordinary, a little embarrassed, as he took in the expressions on the faces of those around him.

Bellamy continued his story, hurriedly, "Anyway, I left the women's quarters, and a couple of youths saw me, and one slapped a paralysis spell on me. The interesting thing was that he hadn't needed to draw a wand. But anyway, I don't need a wand either, so I freed myself, and made them forget. None of the others would know they'd been spoken to, either. And then I disapparated out of there. That's all there was to it."

Helene spoke curiously, "How long did it take?"

"About an hour."

Helene repeated slowly, "About an hour."

Carol asked, "If they'd been in the other house with us, as they often were, would you have known?"

"I asked one if there were any other powerful Khatabi wizards in New York, and he said not. Pity I said wizards, though, as otherwise he might have told me about Riza. I knew there was an old lady with Najia in the hotel, but she kept out of sight?"

"What did Najia have to do with it?" asked Carol, very curiously.

Bellamy hesitated an instant, and then said casually, "I think Riza might have been keeping a watch or something, and maybe Najia was looking after her, as she was so old."

Gloria asked suspiciously, "What are you not telling us, John?"

"I didn't tell you how worried I was before I entered the women's quarters. There were so many, all together, and the men came close to taking me down. If the women could combine like that, I might have been lost."

Gloria still looked at him with some suspicion, but allowed the conversation to stray to the women. They'd so seldom seen any of the Khatabi women.

Valencio grinned. He reckoned he knew what it was, that Najia was supposed to have had his baby, an 'outcross' for old Riza's breeding programme. He guessed it was no wonder.

There was some conversation about Laki Khatabi then, whom Clarence and Valencio could remember once demonstrating the Paralysis spell without use of a wand. Bellamy was interested, but afterwards fell into apparent deep thought, by himself. Valencio looked back at him just as he suddenly grinned to himself, and asked Carol if she was finished with him, as he was going for a walk.

Michael and Dot regarded him dubiously, and Michael said, "You're not going to go looking for a _fight,_ are you?"

Bellamy was grinning, "I haven't been in a fight for ages."

Dot frowned disapprovingly as he left, walking quite quickly, and Michael shook his head.

Gloria said, "A fight?"

Michael explained, "He was always well behaved when married to Pat, but he's a legend. Getting into fistfights, slipping his bodyguards whenever he chooses, non-stop series of girlfriends, overlapping, sometimes more than one in his bed at a time..."

Helene said, "He's never taken any notice of any of us in that way."

Dot said, "He never does with his employees, either, like we're in a different category, and off limits."

Michael said, "It's part of the job of his bodyguards to keep away the girls who fancy going to bed with him."

Tiffany said, "He told us that one of you let in a girl one time, when he was asleep."

"I heard he nearly killed the one who did that, and we're threatened with instant dismissal if it ever happens again."

Gloria said abruptly, "It's unfair of him getting into fistfights when he can just kill his opponent if he gets hurt."

"He's very fast, and strong, or so I've been told, never having seen him fight, but he never uses magic, and there's been times he's ended up in a medj hospital somewhere, when he's been beaten up."

"I had a fight with him once," said Jimmy. "He didn't like his boxing gloves, and sort of held them out at his sides, and shook his hands a couple of times, as if he thought they might come off. Yet I couldn't touch him, and as I was very angry at the time, I was trying hard."

"He mentioned that once," said Michael, "He said he won."

"I knew I was hopelessly outclassed the moment he started to hit back, even though he didn't hit hard. But afterwards, he walked straight into something he didn't see. His sight was bad, he was still thin then, and I was thrashed!"

"You'd think, with all his power, even that he can beat people without magic, that he'd never be defeated."

"No matter how powerful, he can be defeated if someone gets him in the back, or he can be tricked. He's only human, and sometimes very rash."

"It was rash of him to come to Morocco," said Emma softly.

Gloria asked, "How did he get whipped?"

Michael shook his head. "I know nothing of him being whipped."

There were no stories the next evening, but there was a lot of hilarity - Gloria, whose mood sometimes seemed to influence the mood of them all. But also Bernice, who kissed Clarence, told him that of course they were properly married, and she'd ask Dot just to supply a magically forged, legal marriage document, the same as Tasha had.

It was known that Bernice had visited a priest, but it seemed it wasn't the priest who'd made her feel better, as she announced very loudly that she was far happier as an atheist than she had ever been as a Catholic. And she laughed to Clarence that she'd told him he was just an ignorant, small town priest.

"Why?" asked Clarence.

Bernice said airily that it had suddenly hit her just how foolish she'd been all these years. Clarence squeezed her, very pleased that she seemed now so happy, and they whispered to each other, and went to bed early.

Meantime, Valencio was in Gloria's room, at her pressing invitation. They made love, and afterwards, she cuddled up to him, very close, and then, after a while, started to cry. Valencio kissed her and said tenderly that it was hardly complimentary, and obviously his lovemaking left a lot to be desired. Gloria laughed through her tears and calmed.

At last, she took a long, shuddering breath, and said, "I've just been a little unsettled lately."

Valencio smiled at the understatement, and kissed her again.

Gloria said, "I asked John to have sex with me last night. He said no. He said I might be like my horse, he'd think everything was fine, and then I'd lay back my ears and bite his bottom."

Valencio laughed, and offered, "You can bite my bottom if you feel the need."

Gloria said solemnly, "I do not feel the need to bite your bottom." But then she pushed him gently, and said, "You'd best go back to Tasha. She'll be looking for you by now."

Tasha was still in the ballroom, talking to Didi and Sheri. She smiled at Valencio, and asked, "She feel better now?"

Valencio said he didn't actually know, she was always a mystery to him.

_xchapter endx_


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 18:_

The following day was Friday. It was Emma. Valencio never could refuse Emma anything. She wanted him to ride the Pamela Track with her.

"There's a special memorial for Laura, who was like the other half of me. I feel better since I spoke about it, but I want you to ride with me. Also Connie and Mary, because they can explain. There are stories you might not know."

Valencio admitted, "I haven't seen it yet. Don't ride well enough."

Emma said scathingly, "You _walk_ to the top of the mountain when you choose. You don't need a horse."

"This afternoon?"

"Now. Connie and Mary are already saddling their ponies."

Valencio sighed. "I guess I'll ride Honey." He didn't ride Honey, as Tasha was on her, practising for show classes. Instead, he consulted Gloria's list of available horses and scratched his head. It seemed that every single one of the bigger ones were out, and most of the ponies, as well. He finally said to Emma, "Daddy Longlegs?"

Emma shook her head, and said, "It'll have to be a pony. He's too tall."

"Emanuelle, then."

Emanuelle was a black mare of the stolid, native pony type, except that Emanuelle had a nasty streak, and was not popular. She laid back her ears as she was approached, but Valencio told her not to be so silly. "It's Emma's orders, and you know we always have to do what she says."

Emma giggled. She was competently saddling another pony, and Connie and Mary were saddling their own pets.

Connie led, just walking her mare to the ill defined start of the memorial track. They were already riding the track when they passed the small sign that said, 'The Pamela Track.' Just a little further on was the first of the memorials, a small, open box, with a pitched roof. "For Pamela," Connie said. "There's a small story for her, what we know, the same as for others."

Valencio nodded, he knew the story of Pamela.

"Clarence did nearly all the plaques, except for those for Enclosure 3. Jimmy did those."

It was quiet as they rode, single file, hoofbeats muffled on the soft ground. The next stop wasn't even a clearing, just a plaque next to the track. A lot of names here, listed one by one, many only Christian names. Connie said, "These are the ones that the older ones could remember, who died in a cull about thirty years ago. They just took them away, and they didn't come back."

Valencio slipped off his mare, and studied the names. He commented, "Susiya, Azihari, they were Kaede's friends, the ones who were going to be nuns."

Mary smiled at him. She was sure he'd never listened in those evening sessions, always looking away, or at the floor, as if he would have preferred to be anywhere else. But maybe he had listened after all.

Only a few hundred yards further, there was another, more elaborate memorial.

"The remaining prisoners made themselves objectionable after the disappearances, and this memorial is for three women who died under the Spell of Pain, as punishment. Heidi, Van-Mae, Wendel. They were selected at random, and while Van-Mae and Wendel cried as they waited, Heidi spat in Quang's face, so she was first. It probably made it even harder for the other two, waiting."

Connie said quietly, "Looking back, I find it hard to comprehend the cruelty, yet I accepted it then, accepted we just had no rights, and they did what they liked with us. I saw so many punished with it over the years."

Emma said, "I hardly saw it. Hilde always whisked me away when it was going to happen, and then Abensur seldom used it."

Valencio didn't remember ever seeing it used as a punishment, except on himself.

They went on, all of them dismounted, leading their horses. Connie said, "This is what happened the day after. The few left rushed the guards. There was a young man called Giuliano, who managed to kill one, cracking his head against the cement of a path. The punishment left two more dead, plus Giuliano, who had his limbs all taken off, as a variation. Clarence said it didn't seem to hurt him, and he was very brave. When he was left with no arms and no legs, Quang just waved his wand again, killed him, and vanished the body."

Mary said, "Clarence said that Giuliano was a close friend."

Valencio commented, "I don't remember him ever speaking of him, except to say that he only served a couple of years."

"Surprising they bothered with boys when they were hardly ever wanted for long."

"I could never understand it." All those lovely women, and they'd preferred a boy. He would never understand it.

Connie remounted, and the others followed suit. Down a gully, splashing across a burn, onto the side of the mountain, but only following it around, not climbing. There was a large memorial. "The fever cull."

Valencio nodded. It had only been a couple of years before he'd been taken.

Mary said, "They were trying to pretend it was a random illness, so there were younger ones as well as old ones. Otherwise nearly all the older ones would have gone, including Connie and I, no doubt. Possibly not Kaede. I suspect they valued her work with the children, and that was why she survived the first cull."

"Damir was one of the first to go. Maybe they thought he was unpleasant to look at. Our leader of the time was called Tenia. She died after we realised what was happening, and we started making a fuss. Maybe they thought if she died, we'd stop."

Mary quietly read over the names, almost chanting them in her pretty Irish accent. It was like a memorial in itself.

Emma said, "They continued to make a fuss, every single one of them, and the ones in Enclosure 1, as well, children and all. Kaede told me. They all wore wrist and ankle cuffs for several weeks, until Carol called a stop to it. It was because some of those in Enclosure 2 were dying of the routine punishment every morning."

Mary said, very quietly, "Clarence nearly died, and one called Sonata. She was taken away and put down. She wouldn't eat, just gave up."

Valencio met Emma's eyes, and dropped his own. It was what he'd done, as well. Given up.

Another memorial. "This was a list of names that Clarence found under a table when they moved into the empty Enclosure 2. It must have been empty since Ahjmed's tantrum when he was hurt and humiliated, and took revenge by killing all the prisoners. Twelve names, and a half a name, as if the one doing it was interrupted."

Valencio read them, one by one, in a quiet voice. There was a Lionel. What had happened to him had happened to other boys before him. He was not unique. 'For all the others, unknown and forgotten, inmates of Enclosures 1 and 2, who died, victims of the Khatabis.' Just one of the names had a surname - the first, Adriana Putin, probably the one who had hidden here, and started to write, when screams of terror echoed.

Several small areas, a completed plaque in each. They told some of the stories.

Connie said, "This is for Zwaiter. She was pitch black, very tall, from the Sudan. A face like a sculpture. She used to tell me about her little village. The Khatabis would inspect every year, but they also gave them money, and made sure there was a teacher of English. Starvation or war never affected them, but each year, the young girls were inspected, and now and then one was taken away. There was Toruni from the same village, and Zwaiter said her sister was also taken, but for Japan. She told me that it was difficult for them to find husbands if left at home, as they were not circumcised. But the Khatabis knew every one, and if any were ever found to be circumcised, married or not, they'd kill her father, maybe a few of her uncles, husband if applicable."

"Like an open enclosure, breeding beautiful girls for them."

Connie nodded. "Like that, but it sounds like they benefited as well. I don't know if the village is still there, but we've had none since Zweiter."

Valencio was reading the inscription, and looked at Connie, puzzled. Connie explained, "It was hard to know how to put it. She was terrified of the Spell of Pain until she became unmanageable. Not like Bernice, just running away when it was to be done, but all the time, and she was a very fast runner. One day, after it was practised, the other nine in our group were taken back to the enclosure, but Zwaiter was left there, semi-paralysed, as they'd begun to do whenever she was used. We never saw her again."

Valencio said sadly, "It's so hard to begin with."

Sheri had kept waking, screaming in nightmares, until Carol sent him to her. She'd slept better in his arms, though she was not one of the ones he'd ever had sex with.

Another memorial. "Her name was Morgnestain. Russian. She served two years in Enclosure 1, then simply refused to keep herself clean. For a week, the guards washed her before use, then they tried punishment. When it didn't work, they assembled all of us in the enclosure, little girls and all. Quang said that No. 22 was not worth keeping because she was too dirty, pointed his wand and she fell down dead."

Mary said, "There were three very young ones at the time. They scrubbed themselves red raw, after that, several times a day."

Valencio said, "They must have been more cruel then. I don't remember them ever punishing me for not showering when I was supposed to."

"Quang was worse than Nusa'pei, and Abensur seemed to manage with scarcely any punishment at all."

Emma commented, "We still knew our place, even so."

They mounted, and moved on, until Emma went to stand in front of the next memorial. "This is the one for Laura. It's been a long time, but we were so close. I remember our name now. We were Laura and Emma Lestrange. I wrote to my parents, and sent it yesterday. Told them that Laura was dead, that I was alive, and had been a prisoner. I didn't tell them how we were used, yet. I don't know how. How can I tell them that Laura died of rape?"

Valencio said softly, "You're alive. They might be sad about Laura, but you're alive."

Emma touched the plaque, sadly. "It's been so long, and it's only now I've been able to take in that I'll never be part of two, again."

She looked at Valencio, and said, "We're right, you know. It helps when you talk about it."

Valencio met her eyes, and looked away. Was she right? Emma mounted her pony, and the others followed suit. There were several more memorials, and Mary spoke the names of each one, as they passed, and told more of the stories.

"We cross back to the other side now," said Emma. Back down the valley, and into an area of very thick forest, the trees growing dense, the canopy heavy. After a time, there was a small sign, the Arabic word for Enclosure 3. The ponies' hoofbeats were muffled, walking in single file through what was almost a tunnel in the greenery. Quite often, they had to duck under low branches. It went a long way, now and then with small areas where a touch of sunshine might fall, but each time entering the deep shadow again.

"It goes like this nearly a mile. This part of the track is for those who never left Enclosure 3." They went in silence.

Abruptly, they emerged onto a sunny slope, and stopped the ponies, looking at the aspect in front of them. Valencio glanced back, and said, "It's like when we walked out of the App. Box, into freedom."

"They never bothered with records, but Dot contacted Abensur, though indirectly I think, and he provided lists of names that he could remember from previous intakes into Enclosure 3. We put the names in the dark shadow, where nobody might even know they're there, except us. But they'll be there."

They crossed the open area, their backs warmed with sunshine. More trees, and they started to climb. Discreetly, within the trees, some almost hidden. Small areas, completed plaques.

Mary said softly, almost chanting. "Oswald Perkins, A victim of the Khatabis. Alistair McManaman, called Blue. A victim of the Khatabis." Then "Christopher Belmont. A victim of the Khatabis," and last, "Peter Jones, who faced death with great courage. A victim of the Khatabis."

A larger memorial contained seven names. Connie said, "These were the other seven who died from Jimmy's group. They were all given posthumous bravery awards. The cover story made them heroes. But probably most had no opportunity to be brave, except maybe like Jimmy told us, Peter Jones, who stood erect, and faced death with courage."

The track started climbing, and the ponies were straining. Valencio walked, leading his pony. He thought he was too heavy for the mare, though she was solid, and looked strong.

"The Pamela Track finishes at the top, and that's where all the names are of those who were in the 'cleared' enclosures, in New York, and in Japan," and Connie read them over.

Valencio said quietly, "Can I add one? His name was Jeremy, and all I know is that he was in Japan for a few years."

"I'll work out a place."

"I'll make the plaque myself."

"Did someone tell you about him?"

"Just a comment I overheard once. Nazher, I think."

Emma said, "Nazher's been dead a long time."

There was a grassy slope that led back to the castle. It invited galloping. The ponies pricked their ears, even Emanuelle. Valencio stroked her, and then went to her stirrups, running them up the leathers so they wouldn't bang against her sides. "I might walk back, I think."

Emma said, "Thank you for coming with me."

Valencio looked at her, half smiling. She'd done it because she thought he was avoiding facing what had happened, not because she needed his moral support, or anything.

Connie said uncertainly, "You don't mind if we leave you behind?"

Valencio said, "Not in the slightest."

"Alright, then..." and the three gave their ponies their heads, in a fast canter that would take them very quickly back to the castle.

Valencio watched. They were not as timid any more. He'd always thought the women stronger than he was. He supposed they were right. Each of them had faced the hurdle, though he suspected there were several who'd done as he had - avoided mention of what really hurt. He should talk? He shook his head. Maybe he could talk about part of it, but never could he admit to one of his friends, Clarence, Jimmy, or the women, that he'd learned to enjoy it, looked for it, even invited it.

Only when the women were out of sight, did he tell Emanuelle to stop eating, and start following, as he headed in a different direction, walking home slowly along the perimeter track. Jeremy, who'd lived in Japan for a few years. He'd always thought the unknown boy had committed suicide, but it may have been a punishment, or it may have been damage from rough usage. Would he have ended it, the night he heard the reference to Jeremy? It was when he'd begun to trust a little, and then Narzu-Han had brought in five others to use him. He'd fully expected to be badly damaged, thought that it was going to be Adil all over again. He had a feeling that just because Narzu-Han had mostly treated him well, didn't mean that it could not have gone the other way. That night. He hadn't been damaged - hurt a little, but not at all seriously. Yet he'd felt so tired. Maybe it would have been like that other time, much later, when he'd done it without even realising his own intention.

His eyes were wet as he walked. Sorry for Jeremy. Sorry for the boy he'd been, hurt too much. He'd never dwelled much on the punishments he'd undergone. Once over, he'd tried to forget. But how many times had he been subject to the Spell of Pain enough that he'd been near death? The first time merely because he kept running from the nightly rape. Then after Faheem, he'd been very severely punished. After Adil, sentenced to death by torture. Even Narzu-Han, and he'd taken three days to wake. Botan. He was forgetting Botan. Rotan as well. He supposed Rotan could scarcely be blamed. He _had_ tried to kill him.

He heaved a great sigh. He'd hated it so much, and for so long. Emanuelle nudged him, and he turned to her, petted, then led her to a place where deep grass grew. He took off her bridle, and sat down on the soft grass. Emanuelle started to graze.

He lay down, and stared at the sky. Could he free himself from the past? He could free himself from the memory of rape, memory of torture. But there was a terrible weakness left in him, that filled him with fear. If Narzu-Han suddenly appeared, what would he do?

He turned his head, his vivid imagination showing him the man who'd been his owner. He knew exactly what he would do and feel. He'd go straight to him, wanting his owner, wanting the sex. Wanting the Brieke-tei. He was a fool. He was damaged, crippled. He couldn't leave here, where he was safe, not from others so much, but from himself. The terror of being tempted by the thing that he couldn't tolerate. If not for Yiko's pendreiya, he was sure, he could not have survived those last months, when it had become so hard.

Tasha. He smiled. His wife, whom he loved so much. How often had she intervened when life had not seemed worth living? The women, who were so strong. They'd shared their strength. What he'd been talking about the other night. Gloria and Maliwan helping him shower. Naked breasts brushing against him as they soaped him under his sodden clothing. They were so beautiful. How could anyone see any temptation in a male body when women were so amazingly lovely?

Once home, he didn't join the other men, who were working. Instead, he made the plaque for Jeremy. All the information he had. 'Jeremy, who was in Japan for a few years...'

Valencio had been finally convinced that he needed to talk. To John, who was good luck, and would never tell anyone else.

_xxdividerxx_

Bellamy looked surprised the following day, when Valencio asked him if he'd go to Duich with him. Valencio had his usual list of errands, and he said to John, perfectly honestly, that he wanted to talk to him, without scores of women listening.

It took a while. He drove to Duich, did his errands, told John about the local mechanic, "who showed him things sometimes." He grinned at Bellamy. "Being dirty and greasy is just so far from Morocco!"

John was told that he wanted to get a Heavy Vehicle license, so he could drive a big bus, that the girls were going to go to school, that Ingrid was talking about university - "She said she always wanted to be a vet."

He drove back towards home, smoothly, competently, a narrow road that wound around a loch, and stopped "to show him a lookout," though the atmosphere was of fog and damp.

But even when they strolled around the lookout and commented on the beauty of the scenery, he found it hard to start. Instead, he commented on the weather, "Midsummer, and cold and foggy."

"I didn't consider climate when I tried to find a place. It just needed to be within apparation range, and I wanted it to be like this - wild and free."

John, who'd kept trying to escape his own imprisonment. And yet he'd never hurt anyone. He hadn't even hit guards, as far as Jimmy knew, just that one time in a formal fist fight, with boxing gloves, because Jimmy had been so furious with him for looking at a female soldier. He remembered Jimmy talking about a time when he thought he saw him with wet eyes, walking fast around the perimeter of Facility 19, as they'd called it. He said, "You know, don't you, what it is to be in a prison."

Bellamy nodded, and when Valencio started to shiver, suggested there was no hurry, but that they could talk in the car.

"You know we've been talking a bit in the evenings. Just trying to get it sorted out in our heads."

"Dot said she thought that was what you were doing."

"Jimmy started it. He told us about your last months in Facility 19, and how you kept trying to escape."

"Maybe it's because I eventually escaped that some of the women think I'm a lucky charm."

"Partly, it's that. Partly it's that you're not superhuman, and that you've suffered too." Valencio was suddenly hesitant again. Maybe he shouldn't bother the man. He even started to put his hand to the ignition key of the car.

Bellamy invited, "Talk to me if you like, Vince. I'm good at listening."

Valencio was relieved. He had to let it out now. He'd kept it hidden long enough. He started rather vaguely, "Some of us get very angry, and I think it's a good thing that we're to be left to our own devices shortly. And for some of us, it's a very deep feeling of humiliation. I can't tell the women. Not even Tasha knows."

Bellamy waited.

Valencio sighed. "They called it a Brieke-tei," and he gave a detailed description of the Brieke-tei, until he became aware of his own arousal, and stopped abruptly. He shook his head. Even now. He glanced shamefaced at John, who only calmly waited. He would have noticed, probably. He could not have remained unaware of his weakness. But it was his weakness he needed to face. And John was old. Maybe he would understand.

He started again. "To begin with, it always hurt, and I hated it. Fought it for a long time. But when Haru and Botan, and the others tired of it, Abensur started. I was thirteen, nearly fourteen. The thing was, he made me enjoy it. He always used the Brieke-tei, and always took a long time to do up the straps. First the wrist and ankle clips, quickly, so I couldn't escape. But then he'd fiddle around adjusting the others, and that was when I'd become excited. It was only when I was restrained sufficiently that I was unable to fight, that I could accept it. He set out to tame me, and he did, I guess. At any rate, one evening, I knocked him out on the floor, had a sharp blade in my hand, ready to slit his carotid artery, like I did to another one time, and I changed my mind, and let him wake up. So I guess I was tamed."

He was speaking slowly, not looking at John, but staring straight forward through the windscreen.

"I was in a bad way when he started, dying really, I guess, not wanting to live. Abensur pulled me back, and I suppose he didn't want his work wasted, because he went to Japan, and when he came back, I was marked as the Favourite of Narzu-Han, whom I'd never met. I don't think he was even keen, as it was a few weeks before I saw him, and Abensur continued with me. It was work for him, I think. Training me? Taming me? Whatever.

"Narzu-Han. That first night, he looked at me closely, as I stood in front of him, caressing, playing. I was half wanting it, and half on the verge of trying to run or fight. He said I was such a pretty boy."

He was looking into the distance, seeing the long ago scene. "But then, he stopped, and looked at me closely, and said, 'You want the Brieke-tei, don't you?' He was laughing a bit. It was always in that room they used for me, but I don't think Narzu-Han had planned on using it. But, like Abensur, he pulled out the straps that were kept in a drawer inside it, and took his time adjusting each one. By the time, it was finished, I was ready for him, and when he started, I came, too. The first time. It's what I'm so ashamed of. He knew I'd begun to enjoy it. Knew I wanted the Brieke-tei, so I could pretend I was only a victim. He was one of those with telepathy, and he knew me better than I knew myself.

"The women noticed I was distressed afterwards, but thought it was because I'd been hurt. And I had been hurt. I'd been excited before, and had found pleasure in it. But that time, it seemed so awful, and wrong. I didn't know what I meant to do, but Tasha came after me, and asked if I wanted to have sex with her. She let me every night she was available, after Narzu-Han had me. It helped. But I could never forgive myself for wanting it from Narzu-Han, and from Abensur. Others, too. Narzu-Han liked to share. It was the telepathy, I think, and he felt what I was feeling. One of them, he was a big man, with a tendency to be rough, but Narzu-Han stopped him hurting me, and for some reason, he excited me more than anyone.

"I was the Favourite of Narzu-Han, the right hand wrist cuff was coloured, striped yellow/green, to declare that. Yiko used me, too, sometimes, and by the time I was seventeen, the wrist cuff was also marked with brown, to indicate that he, too, had an interest. Yiko said I was under his protection, and mentioned once, for instance, that I would never be castrated."

Bellamy turned to him, very obviously shocked. "Castrated?"

"The boy who went before me was castrated. About fifteen years before, but he was dead by the time I was brought in. Clarence warned me only a couple of months after I arrived that I had to stop making trouble, or they'd do that. And much later, when I was very weak still, after punishment, I heard Nusa'pei trying to persuade Narzu-Han to allow him to do it, but Narzu-Han refused, and only hobbled me instead for a few months."

Bellamy left the subject of castration, and instead asked, "What were you being punished for?"

"I told Narzu-Han what I thought of him and his family. He nearly killed me, but I couldn't not do it. He was already an Elder, and maybe he would start to think. He was mostly kind to me, never hurt, but he was as selfish and ruthless as any of his family."

He was relieved that Bellamy didn't question further. There were things he needed to tell some-one, but not those early years. That was not what had left him so damaged, so terribly, terribly dirty.

"I told you Narzu-Han knew me better than I did myself. I hadn't caused any trouble for years, just knocked out a Khatabi boy of my own age once, and hit a guard a couple of times. But in general, I did what I was told, and was treated as casually as they treated the women. The only differences were that I still wore wrist and ankle cuffs, and there were always two guards outside the working bedroom, or the sitting room, where Narzu-Han sometimes talked with me. The women had no extra guards, and after all, the doors were always locked with magic.

"But quite suddenly, there was a lot more care taken whenever they did anything with me, even when they just came into the enclosure, two guards kept a special eye on me, at least one with wand drawn, the same as when I was troublesome, earlier."

"When you killed someone?"

"Killed one, wounded a few, like Adil's eye."

Bellamy said, very surprised, "You were responsible for Adil losing his eye?"

Valencio nodded, and said, dismissively, "That was in the early days, but I'd been tame for years by the time I'm talking about, and the extra precautions were taken before I even thought of attacking, or resisting. I still regarded myself as a tame slave. But one day, I found I just could not report to the dining room for use, though I was showered and ready. It was a turning point, maybe, that I just couldn't be tame any more. For a while, Hilde would get me there, and then she stopped, and the guards would, very carefully.

"But when Rafu and Thuli came for me, and maybe they were not as careful, I flew at them, instead of obeying orders. There was a fury in me, and they were there and they were bloody wizards, and I wanted to smash them to oblivion. Narzu-Han stopped them punishing me.

"They were always very careful with anything that could be used as a weapon, but I had weapons anyway."

He pulled Nusa'pei's paper-knife from his pocket, now with a leather scabbard, and showed it to Bellamy. "It was a paper knife, and took forever to get a good edge. I took it from Nusa'pei's office."

He showed Bellamy the scrolled writing, 'Nusa'pei.' "They were pretty sure I'd taken it, but they never found it, and I was not punished." He ran his finger along the side of the blade, and returned it to the scabbard.

"Anyway, it just kept getting harder, and I suddenly went quite berserk, just after Abensur released me from the Brieke-tei. I punched Abensur, knocked him out, and had Narzu-Han down, trying to strangle him, and every now and then banging his head as hard as I could against the floor. I guess Abensur revived as I woke up in my own bed, and I hadn't been harmed or punished. The next morning, Nusa'pei told me, very seriously, that I was still a whole man, not castrated, not punished with the Pain Curse, only because Narzu-Han said I couldn't help it. But if ever I attacked another wizard like that, there would be no understanding. I would die in agony.

"I wasn't going to be able to help myself. I would attack again, I knew, so I had to stop shirking and kill myself. Except I think Yiko put a pendreiya on me. I don't think I could. But then Nusa'pei told me I was to go into Enclosure 2, and I'd never be used for sex again."

He shook his head. "It was hard to take in. Nearly fainted, even. I knew they still wanted me, and if Yiko and Narzu-Han didn't, half a dozen other Khatabi did, and that's not even counting Khatabi-Richi, and even though I was full grown, just about.

"Tasha was also told she was to go into Enclosure 2, and when Nusa'pei showed me to my bedroom, it was bigger than the others, even with a double bed. Tasha was next door." He grinned wryly. "They weren't supposed to know about Tasha, but bloody Narzu-Han knew everything. Tasha's older than me, and she said she'd been expecting it, as not many people asked for her any more.

"I couldn't believe at first they were going to leave me alone. Every single bloody wizard always wanted me. I thought it must be a genetic failing that came along with the magic. Of the Khatabi-Vrie, the Elders, I think only Ahjmed didn't have me. And a good thing too. He was a sadist. Liked little girls, and sometimes they didn't survive. I could easily have died if Ahjmed had ever had his way."

Bellamy was looking straight forward through the windscreen, but his eyes were wet.

Valencio was suddenly indignant, "Even the day before we left. I was thirty! Not a boy. They wanted to fondle, to say goodbye, and Fudo said it might prevent fighting. And even then, if they could have, they would have used me again. I thought they would have forgotten, but with Yiko dead, and Narzu-Han missing, maybe I was very lucky not to be put back into use, whether or not I went berserk. All they had to do was paralyse or something, like when I was a boy."

Bellamy said, "No wonder you kept away from me, and hit Michael that time."

Valencio asked, appealing, "Is it only Khatabis, do you think?"

"It's not a genetic failing of wizards generally. Man to man sex is very rare among wizards. Among medj, it's more visible, though I suspect the percentage is probably much the same."

"Maybe just the Khatabis, and maybe because I fought, and hurt some. Maybe if I'd only accepted it from the start, they might have lost interest. The boys who went before only served a couple of years. I would still have been in use, I think, if I hadn't gone for Narzu-Han. He used to tell me he'd keep me forever, until I was an old, old man. It's what provoked that last attack. He said he'd look after me forever."

He sighed, "Sometimes, I liked Narzu-Han. He was not a friend, of course. He was my owner, and did what he chose with me. Having Tasha helped me enormously, and I love her now, as my wife. But sometimes I still yearn for the absolute excitement that I felt on the Brieke-tei. Can you understand that?" He held his breath. He was appealing for judgement, for help.

Bellamy said calmly, "Sex is a very strong instinct. There's nothing to be ashamed of in enjoying a sexual experience."

Valencio's heart fell, and he said accusingly, "You're giving me platitudes."

"What do you expect? I'm not all wise, all knowing."

"Have you ever been raped, and enjoyed it?"

"No."

Valencio stared at him, almost angry. He'd wanted more. John was supposed to help him, though he hadn't thought exactly how he should expect to be helped. Bellamy gave a wry grin. "You bloody medj know more of my secrets than anyone else ever has. If I tell you a man once had sex with me, and I enjoyed it, will that make you feel better?"

Valencio said flatly, "I don't believe it!"

"Can you keep it quiet?"

Valencio nodded slowly, and Bellamy continued. "There was a man who loved me once. He was called Mario. One day, he asked, and I wanted to please him, and I agreed. It hurt at first, but he took his time, and I found pleasure and my own excitement. I told Pat only that I'd once agreed to do it with a man. I never told her that I found enjoyment, and I've never told anyone else. Even when I was raped that time, I never, ever wanted anyone else to know. But the whole world ended up knowing, and they thought less of me for being raped."

He looked seriously at Valencio. "One need not be ashamed of a perfectly natural reaction, Vince," but he grinned, "And one need not share it with the world, most of whom are not very bright!"

Valencio sighed, and was quiet. John said he didn't need to be ashamed. And John said he'd enjoyed it once.

Valencio said slowly, "There was never any choice to begin with, either strapped down, or paralysed. But later, there were times I looked for it, wanted it. It's what's made me dirty enough that I can never be clean."

"Do you think then that man-to-man sex is inherently dirty?"

Valencio remembered that long ago scene of Geoffrey and Pedro, and said slowly, "No, not if they both want it."

"So if, to survive, you learned to want it, are you really unforgivably dirty?"

"I don't know."

It started to rain. After a while, Valencio commented, "I love the rain, gentle, continuous, so far removed from Morocco."

He continued after a moment, "Anyway, I behaved myself in Enclosure 2, didn't look sideways at them, made not the slightest trouble." He grinned wryly, "And still, Abensur didn't take off the wrist and ankle cuffs until just before my group set out for the App. Box to be freed."

"If I'd known, I would have made them take them off much earlier."

"They were right, I think. I wasn't thinking straight any more, half full of hope, but mostly not believing it, and wanting to start slaughtering every wizard in sight." He glanced at Bellamy. "I didn't trust you. You were a wizard, and wizards only hurt and rape. It's taken a long time. Tasha was holding very tight to my arm that day. She knew I was unstable. When I felt the pendreiya, I nearly started fighting."

Bellamy remembered. He'd been prepared to freeze him in place, but only briefly. Probably no-one else might even have noticed. He asked softly, "Are you alright now?"

"Some scars remain forever, I think. I will never be the man I would have been if none of it had happened. Narzu-Han said that I would always have been a target. Because of my looks. As if it was fate. But no man here has wanted to have sex with me just because I'm good-looking."

"Maybe you'd best live here then. All your life, if you like."

"I would, I think. Maybe Narzu-Han was right. Some places, some men, I'd still be a target. It's safe here." He glanced at Bellamy. "The boundary fence that was supposed to tell us it was home. I crossed it the first day, and every day for weeks - until Jimmy needed looking after in fact. But you have made us a safe home, and I do want to stay. I think Tasha won't, though." He shrugged. "It's just like some of the women. I'm frightened to leave."

Bellamy said, almost gently, "You're free now. Free to stay, free to go, free to return, all your life. You're right. The fence did have a weak crio - just meant to make sure no-one wandered off and got lost, or left too early, and wound up in trouble. I'm surprised you realised."

"Narzu-Han used to tell me about things like that, and sometimes, I can sense things a little bit more than most people."

Bellamy only nodded. Valencio started the car. Ten minutes later, he said, "Thank you for listening."

"How's the pup going?"

Valencio smiled. "She's called Shona, and I can't wait until she's old enough to follow at my heels all day. Like the girls' dogs do. Like your dogs do."

"Toilet trained?"

"Without the slightest trouble," and he entertained Bellamy for the next few miles with boasting about the amazing intelligence of Shona.

_Xxdividerxx_

Valencio didn't shy off from the meeting in the ballroom that evening. They were right. They'd always been right. It was necessary to face what had happened. But John was right as well. If he told other people, they would think less of him, just as he said others thought less of him after he'd been raped. And telling anyone he'd enjoyed it, would be worse. What had John said? One need not share it with the world, most of whom are not very bright!

It was Farfalla that night, and she surprised them all. "In many ways, we were not treated all that badly. The Khatabis sometimes hurt, but usually only because they were rough. There are refinements of cruelty, of torture, sometimes inflicted for sexual pleasure, that we never knew while in their hands. They were pragmatic, efficient, and seldom hurt because they liked to hurt."

There were loud objections. "What about Ahjmed? Sometimes the children he used, died of it?"

"In the orphanage where I was raised, they lost three or four every year, tortured to death for the gratification of three priests, who were supposed to be good, charitable men. The Khatabis never pretended to be good, charitable men."

"What about the culls?"

"When they had too many prisoners, they thought it only common sense to reduce the numbers. We were never hungry, never cold, and they generally used the minimum of force when we were disobedient."

She twirled a lock of hair in her hand. "I was happier in Enclosure 1 than I was in the orphanage. It was like a release when they came, inspected us all, chose three of us, and let the rest of us go. As we left, I saw Father Masella, dead on the floor, and I asked if I could have a look. Nusa'pei nodded, and I went in, and looked. Further in the room, there was Father Pisani, and he was dead, too. So I kicked them both very hard, and Lilith and Ricardo did, too. Lilith started laughing, hysterical, and Nusa'pei looked at her very closely, said something, and she was left, rejected. I was pleased not to be rejected.

"The Khatabis didn't seem surprised that we attacked the fathers, and I wonder if they'd heard something, and chose the orphanage deliberately.

"I was not a virgin, of course, and neither was Ricardo. The girls were used by the priests, and used by the older boys, and so were the boys. When they looked closely at Ricardo, he was rejected as well. They did terrible things to the boys, and he may have been scarred, or maybe the function of that part had been affected. Anyway, then there was just me, and Nusa'pei had me that night. I took it for granted that I'd be used for sex, and he was so gentle, it was a revelation. I thought I loved him then. It must have been a surprise to him, a girl of thirteen who thought he was wonderful, because he only used an ordinary penis, nothing else, and it didn't hurt a bit.

"I was Nusa'pei's favourite from the start, though he used nearly all of us, I think, now and then. Khatabis had me sometimes, especially Ahjmed, who took a fancy to me. I never wore a coloured wristband to mark me as favourite. On the other hand, as soon as Nusa'pei became overseer, he always took priority over other Khatabi-Richi. I was quite pleased that he didn't make it exclusive use, as I always liked a bit of variety. Nusa'pei let me be first for the young men usually, except when they insisted on choosing for themselves." She smiled. "I wanted to try and teach them to be good lovers, and now and then, I think I helped. I was first for Abensur, for instance."

Since they'd started talking about it, it was apparent that their stories were interlinked. Farfalla had probably given Abensur some of the skills that had resulted in Valencio's 'taming,' and later still, he'd been able to give Farfalla pleasure. And because Abensur had been a good lover, Brigitta had had an easy time, and had therefore been able to influence Abensur to keep them alive. And then Brigitta had made poor Jimmy happy, long before he was thinking clearly again. She had probably contributed to his recovery.

Farfalla was still talking. About the 'Fever Cull.' "I thought even that quite merciful. Just a bit of a fever for a few days, not at all severe, and then a quiet death, removal of the body, and a memorial service. Nusa'pei told me that it was not just us, and gave me a list of names, but most of them were women, and we never saw the women, so I didn't know that it was a lie. It was only when it was pointed out that no Favourites were getting sick, that it was nearly all the older ones in Enclosure 2, that I started to believe the others who said we were being killed.

"Anyway, I went along with the others, and refused to cooperate." She laughed. "It was like I hurt his feelings! I said he was killing my friends, and he didn't deny it, just said that sometimes it was necessary, that there were too many!"

She shook her head. "He couldn't believe it when he had to silence and paralyse me in order to have sex. I don't think he even came, just pretended to when he knew he was going soft. I had wrist and ankle cuffs fitted then, like everyone else in Enclosure 1 at that time, but he didn't come for me again. When things settled down, I was moved over to Enclosure 2, but not until they were no longer being punished. Afterwards, I'm not sure whether I was given any favouritism or not. I suspect I was less often used when the Spell of Pain was to be practised at that time, but I was sometimes used, so was never quite sure. After Abensur took over, I was treated exactly the same as anyone else, of course. He was always as fair as possible."

She smiled. "And now we're truly free, and no-one hurts us, or thinks we should be killed. The only deprivation is too little sex, but that happened from the moment I was moved to Enclosure 2. I'd have John in a moment, if he'd give the slightest indication that he might be willing."

Gloria shook her head, vehemently. "You're not allowed. No-one's allowed."

Farfalla laughed. "Keep your hair on. I won't touch him."

Kaede said, "Farfalla's right. It could have been a lot worse. You know those books about Arab customs that have been circulating, especially the customs in harems? They describe enormous cruelties. The very worst we saw, was Emma and Laura, but there was so much fighting afterwards, and the main perpetrators were dead within days. Abensur might have been lucky he had such a brutal flogging. I don't know that he was ever known as a fighter, much, and he would probably have been killed otherwise, as some of the others were, like Kuwaja, who called them to account."

Helene concluded, "None of us were systematically tortured or maimed for their amusement, and in the book I've just finished reading, that did happen in medj harems. Not fiction, fact."

Thierry said quietly, "I think I might be the only one, except for Valencio."

Valencio said, "I was never systematically tortured, just now and then, for a change."

There was not a great deal of surprise, either about Valencio or Thierry, except from a few of the younger girls, who were staring, then silent, almost fearful when Thierry related the story of Chung Quoc, hurting her terribly for his pleasure.

Hilde said, "You told me you'd been sick. That Nusa'pei said you might be infectious, and that's why you were kept isolated."

"Nusa'pei suggested that. And I didn't want to say anything different. There was no point anyway, as it would only have made everyone else frightened."

Thierry studied her wrists, and smiled. "John gives me courage, even though I doubt he's ever been hurt as systematically as I was hurt. Chung Quoc was dead even before I had to line up again, and it was Abensur who came especially to tell me. Killed in a fight with a rival family. Only an hour later, Nusa'pei told me. And then Rafu. So while I was hurt very badly, and I guess the Khatabi-Richi had to obey orders, they were not unfeeling. All the same, I was always frightened after that. I knew how terribly they could hurt, knew that obedience was not a protection. I was frightened for myself, frightened for others."

The ones who'd known her before, knew the change. For most of the timid ones, it had been a gradual development, from seeing too much cruelty, and living too many years of slavery. For Thierry, it was Chung Quoc who'd left her frightened, knowing that no matter how obedient, a slave could still be hurt, just for a whim.

Carol said, "After we got stuck into John about releasing us from the instructions, I heard Michael saying we were unpredictable. And neither Melanie nor Robin have come back. Are we unpredictable?"

There was a silence, and finally Gloria spoke. "No-one would really hurt John, and especially not Melanie or Robin."

Maliwan said softly, "We might be a little bit unpredictable, though, sometimes."

Gloria laughed, suddenly, hilariously. "We might be!" and the evening turned boisterous.

Tasha was very pleased with her Valencio that night. It was like there was a weight off his shoulders. He'd always refused to discuss anything about the times when he'd been taken for use. He'd spoken to John, she was sure. But when she asked, he said they'd spoken about Shona, what an exceptionally bright dog she was. She didn't press. Way back when he was about fourteen, she'd tried to say that many of the women said they couldn't help but enjoy it, but he'd only snarled something and gone off to exercise with his cutlass, as if physical strength could protect him.

She wondered if one day he'd be tempted again, to go off with a man. And as he slept, she stroked over his forehead, not quite contacting. He was so good-looking, and it wasn't his fault. What would she do if he did go off with a man? She knew he loved her. She kissed him, very gently. If he did, she'd turn a blind eye. And maybe he never would - not unless someone wheeled in a Brieke-tei.

Sunday, at breakfast, Tasha suddenly gave Bellamy a kiss. He looked at her in surprise. She smiled at him. "It's a lovely day, and I just felt like kissing somebody."

Valencio asked, "John, when does one cut grass to make hay."

Bellamy guessed, "Late summer?"

Valencio shoved his hair out of his eyes, and said, "We'd best start on the hayshed today, then."

Later that day, they worked together, the four men. Bellamy using casual magic to make deep holes for uprights, until Clarence nudged him, and pointed to where Cam watched, though hopefully too far away to have seen. They were more careful after that.

Thierry, Adolfina and Farfalla brought them some afternoon tea, and sat down with them for a while. The men all had their shirts off as they worked, and Farfalla's eyes were drawn to the half naked bodies. There was one thing the Khatabi-Richi spotters had been expert at, picking for beauty, even when they chose them very young. Clarence was in his fifties, but still trim, and his body had a grace. Valencio was about thirty, she thought. She tore her eyes away from Valencio. He was a married man, and while Tasha never seemed to mind, maybe she shouldn't. She'd have to make arrangements for herself soon. Gloria's Craig was beginning to be overworked.

Gloria came and sat with them, and Farfalla quickly took her eyes off John's shoulders. John had a beautiful build, as well, though marred with too many scars.

There was beginning to be a feeling of pressure. John was good luck, and it was easier when he was close, but he would not be staying around much longer.

Adolfina that evening, who'd been shocked to the core when her father sold her, in spite of an apparently wealthy home.

The men were working together again the following morning, Valencio whistling. Clarence remarked to Bellamy, "We used to cover our ears when Valencio whistled, but he's a lot better now."

Valencio grinned at him. "Call me Vince. And I've been practising ever since I took myself to London that time."

Clarence laughed, and said, "We were not here even a week, and he cleared out, and didn't come back until the following day. Tasha was worried he wouldn't come back at all, but most of us thought he would."

Valencio said, "It's why I reckon medj are so much more civilised than wizards. A man shared his bus shelter with me overnight, no-one threatened my safety, and _no-one_ covered their ears and told me to shut up!"

Clarence suddenly stood, peering, and tapped Bellamy on the shoulder, and pointed. "Is that Gloria?"

"Gloria on Madigan! Is the woman mad?"

"Is Madigan so hard to ride?"

"Broke Luke's leg not so long ago, and we have no healer here." He sighed. "I'd best go after her, and then she'll probably break my leg. She's a bit dangerous these days." But Madigan was being perfectly well behaved, and his easy canter was already taking his rider out of sight.

Bellamy hesitated, but Maliwan called to him, and a few minutes later, he was on the bare back of a black pony, and following Maliwan. Valencio said, "Clarence, do you know what happened to Gloria?"

Clarence shook his head, and Valencio thought he should not have asked. If she didn't want it known, then it was not for idle speculation. "John might know what to say to her."

After a while, John reappeared, "Madigan was behaving himself perfectly. Maybe he likes women."

Valencio pointed at where Maliwan and Gloria emerged, "He looks so big next to Grey Lady, and Grey Lady's a reasonable size."

"He's one of the best we bred. Sold as a stallion to a stud in Australia, near the Snowy Mountains. But he escaped into the mountains, and occupied himself stealing mares from all the local stations. He was nearly shot when they finally caught him, but they just gelded him and sent him back to us. Seems to me they should have left him to improve the size and quality of the local brumbies."

"Poor fellow," remarked Valencio.

Bellamy nodded. "He was miserable when I first met him. Happy enough now, though, except that he won't stay in a paddock for riding horses, always wants to be with the mares and foals."

Clarence remarked, "I wonder how Damir would have readjusted to freedom."

Bellamy looked questioning, and Clarence clarified. "He was castrated at the age of eleven, and, of course, didn't develop normally."

"He might have preferred to simply stay here, then. Maybe even have a healer instead of a medj doctor, so he wouldn't have to try and explain."

Clarence asked tentatively, "You really don't mind if some of us prefer not to leave."

"I've said it before. It's your home. For as long as you want. Even the ones who leave might prefer to come back when they're old and need looking after. Either myself or my daughters will ensure you are always looked after, as much or as little as you want or need."

Valencio asked, "How did you find Gloria?"

"A touch irritable."

"Bit your head off, I expect."

Bellamy nodded, "Pretty much."

There was only Gloria and Maliwan to go now, and Gloria became more and more impossible to be with. Some of the younger ones were almost frightened of her.

There was one evening when she'd been sitting in the ballroom, looking crossly at anyone who spoke, quarrelling with Maliwan who was her best friend, and stalking out early. Maliwan watched after her, and then went to where Tasha and Valencio were talking. "Gloria. She's hurting. I thought that Valencio should go to her."

Valencio was hesitant. "I usually wait to be asked."

"I'm asking. She needs you to hold her, I think."

Tasha said, "Off you go. As long as she needs, even if it's all night." It _was_ all night, and Gloria cried on his shoulder for a while, woke later with a nightmare, and cried again.

She was better the following day, and that evening, she stood, raised her voice, and asked about the horse show in July. Would they try and match horses to riders for the best chance of winning real prizes, or do as they'd done in previous shows, try and give as many as possible a go. "With Thowra and Kendrick, both on long term loan, there's quite a few good horses."

"How about both? Match the best horses to the best riders, and the rest of us share whatever's left?"

Carol said, "If enough want, we can hire extra horse boxes. We can take thirty horses if we want."

Gloria nodded, and started scribbling. This particular horse show was as significant to them as the very first one they had gone to. As Helena had suggested, it was to be their 'Graduation,' and every single one of them would go, and as many as possible should ride, even if in a single event.

_xchapter endx_


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 19:_

Late Thursday night, Gloria roused Tasha and Valencio from bed. They still hadn't provided themselves with dressing gowns, but Gloria didn't seem to notice, as she asked for help with John, who'd been in a fight. "He's dizzy, and he's started slurring his words, and I'm worried."

Valencio said, "Probably had too much to drink, as well," but he was already pulling on jeans and a jumper, not bothering with shoes and socks. Tasha also dressed, and hurried after her husband and Gloria.

Bellamy didn't seem too bad, just staggering now and then, but he said he always did that when he was a bit tired.

Gloria said firmly, "Valencio will help you to the First Aid room, and I'll fix your bruises."

Under orders, once in the First Aid room, Valencio helped Bellamy off with his clothes, and Gloria anointed his bruises, which quickly faded. He was obedient to begin with, allowing Gloria to look after him, but became increasingly irritable, until he pulled himself away from Valencio, and declared that he was perfectly alright. His words were slurred, and he was swaying.

Gloria frowned at him, and said suddenly, "I'm getting Dot."

Michael came, too, looking casual, and saying, "Too much to drink, Boss?"

Bellamy said crossly that he'd had _nothing_ to drink, and he just wanted to be left alone.

Michael looked surprised at the unusual rudeness, and Gloria said, "He's getting worse. There's something wrong."

Bellamy staggered again, held the wall, and said, "I told you to leave me alone."

His words were slurred, and his eyes were unfocused. Michael said, "I'm getting Ursula."

Bellamy swore, but staggered again.

Valencio asked, "Can I help you to bed, John?"

Bellamy snapped, "Just go away! You're bothering me!"

Apparation was so quick. The nurse looked at him closely, and told Michael to bring Bryce or Joyce, as quickly as possible. "Brain monitors. Tell them possible head injury."

Michael stepped out the door and disapparated, while Bellamy looked around irritably, and said, "I'm tired, and you're all to go away now."

No-one moved, only watched, as he carefully lowered himself to the floor, possibly not seeing the bed close, and curled himself into a ball on the floor, closing his eyes. It was obvious that he was very ill.

The healer, Bryce McKenzie, was there within minutes, hair tousled, but fully dressed. He removed Bellamy's glasses, which provoked a slight frown, and then used a sensor on various parts of his head, as he lay apparently asleep. Only when he tried to turn him over, did his patient half-rouse, and say to leave him alone, or he'd turn him into a frog.

Bryce ignored him, looking carefully at the figures on his sensor, and then slipping a sensor device on his wrist for an easier monitoring. The nurse spoke to Bellamy very firmly, "You have a bleed in your brain, Boss. You're very sick, and Bryce is going to fix you." Again, insistently, "A bleed in your brain. You have to be very still, so Bryce can fix you," and she held his head, firmly.

Bellamy looked a little more intelligent for a moment, looked at Bryce, and closed his eyes, but he was no longer resisting, and stayed very still. Bryce touched him with his wand, checked again with the sensor, and said _Asinum Terrili._ More very careful checks with the monitor, and then Bryce stood, and said, "Well, he won't be working in the morning, but I expect he'll be fine."

Bellamy said, but still slurring his words, "Thanks, Bryce."

Bryce grinned at him. "Stupid people who get into fights."

There was a weak grin back. "It was a good fight, though."

Valencio sighed with relief. He was almost normal again. They needed John. Bryce was wearing a wizard's cape. He hadn't given it a thought.

The First Aid Room was large, and there was a bed. Bryce said to Dot, "Might be best to keep him here, and I'll check on him now and then through the night." He glanced at Valencio. "Help me put him to bed, will you?"

When they started to lift him, Bellamy struggled to his feet, and they sat him on the edge of his bed.

"We've treated the bruises," Gloria said.

Bryce said, "Any other injuries?" looking at the underpants.

"Not that he admitted to."

Valencio grinned. "She told him she had to check him thoroughly, and she did."

Gloria reddened slightly, "Well, I have seen a naked man before, and he doesn't always tell the truth."

Bellamy just sat, his head down, and when Valencio helped him to lie down, he closed his eyes again.

Bryce glanced at the monitor that took its readings from the sensor on his wrist, stood, and said, "Any chance of a cup of coffee?"

They went to a sitting room nearby, and there were formal introductions. Bryce McKenzie, the healer. Stocky, average height, black eyes, and restless mannerisms. Ursula Barnes, grey-haired. About seventy, Valencio guessed. Bryce was happy to have so many listeners, and said to the gathering, "It's happened before. Knocked out by someone he'd just cured, passed by an incompetent healer, and started to die overnight. Very severely handicapped for a long time. In a wheelchair for nearly a year."

Tasha asked, "When you trained to be a healer, how did you practice?"

Bryce said firmly, "Not on medj prisoners. That's something only barbarians would do."

Tasha reddened. She hadn't realised that the man might know so much of their history.

Gloria asked, "How old is John?"

Bryce spoke proudly. "Bellamy is our great wizard. He's a mutation, unique. He's a hundred and seventy-two years old, his birthday at the end of next month. But he does seem particularly vulnerable to head injury. He's susceptible to fitting in the right circumstances, as well. Old incidents of injuries to the brain are responsible for his attacks of trembling, and the problem with his balance."

Michael was frowning, "Bryce, you know - he probably would prefer you keep his health problems private."

Ursula was frank, "He _hates_ his health discussed!"

Bryce ignored them both, and continued to talk about his favourite subject. "Even before Riza Khatabi cursed him, there were a few times when he had severe head pain, and nearly died."

"Does he still get that now?"

"Not for years."

Valencio remarked, "He was knocked out when he hit his car into a fence post, though it wasn't much of a bump really, and again when he fell off the roof. Is he easier knocked out than a normal man?"

Bryce answered, "I think he is. It's no good even suggesting it, but he really should take much greater care of himself. I told him once, and he just said that he had to die somehow, and it didn't appear that it was going to be of old age!"

They were full of curiosity, and there were more questions, which Bryce was only too happy to answer. A hundred and seventy-two years old! Yiko had been over a hundred when Valencio had known him, but he'd looked old. John looked young. Maybe it was because he was so old that he could make people feel better.

Yiko had appeared to be wise, but he thought that Yiko didn't have compassion, and John did have compassion. A hundred and seventy-two years old! Maybe anybody would be wise after a hundred and seventy-two years of living.

Dot finally interrupted. "Weren't you going to check him again about now?"

Bryce rose, and said, "Of course." He checked the monitor that lay open on the table, and explained, "This corresponds to the sensor I put around his wrist. He seems to be recovering quickly, but I'll go and have a closer look."

Ursula and Gloria, followed by Tasha and Valencio, also rose. Far from indicating any need for privacy, Bryce seemed pleased when they followed him, and he was watched closely as he put a sensor carefully to Bellamy's head. Bellamy frowned slightly, turned away from him, muttered something, and went back to sleep. Bryce carefully put his sensor in a different spot, and a third, not touching in any other way. He smiled, and said to his audience, "No problem any more," and that's what he reported to Dot on his return to the sitting room, that he'd just grumbled a bit, and had gone back to sleep.

Michael said disapprovingly, "He'd probably grumble more if he knew how much you were telling everyone about him."

Bryce said defensively, "It's common knowledge. There are books."

Gloria said, "Books?"

Dot rose, saying there were a couple of hours left before dawn, and she, for one, was going back to bed. Michael asked Ursula if she preferred to stay the night, or go home, but as Bryce was staying, she decided to leave. Tasha raised her eyebrows at Valencio who also rose. Gloria said calmly that she might stay awake a while, make sure that John didn't become sick again. Valencio grinned at her, quite sure she was bent on getting as much information about John as the healer was inclined to tell her. And as Bryce seemed to have not the faintest notion of discretion, that might be quite a lot.

Bellamy seemed alright the next morning, though a little pale, and made a point of apologising to Valencio because he thought he'd sworn at him. Valencio was surprised. He couldn't remember any other wizard thinking of apologising, no matter what.

Bryce went off with Gloria and Helene after breakfast, 'to look around.' Valencio, Jimmy and Clarence started working on the hayshed again, until Inge called them. "We're all in the pool, and we've got Bryce, and he answers every question anyone asks. Want to join us?"

Valencio grinned, and said to the others, "We can't miss this opportunity!"

Bryce was next to the swimming pool, in his element, surrounded by beautiful women, even nude, and answering more questions about Bellamy, and about how he trained to be a healer. "Four years, and it takes longer, of course, to become really experienced, as there's just not the practise."

"It took Jila and Agneta about six months," observed Jimmy, "And they were expert."

"Probably lacking in theory, though. That was a very precise spell I worked last night, and I bet they hadn't practised that."

He started quizzing them about how they were taken, starting with Jimmy.

"A tour was offered, granting us private access to a recently uncovered tomb. There was supposed to be treasure being unearthed every day. It was a day off work, and paid - who could refuse?"

"Helene?"

"I was taken from school, the prettiest few sorted out, and then a closer inspection, even use of a monitor, I think to indicate whether we were virgin, then the other two were rejected, and it was only me."

"I've never heard of a monitor to indicate virginity."

"They seemed to think it important."

Shirley didn't answer, but Gloria, surprisingly, did. "I was eleven, half starved, begging on the streets of Bangkok, and they picked me up from there. Probably thought I should be grateful!" It was the first time she'd said anything about herself.

Jimmy asked suddenly, "Is there a monitor to show whether a man is still fertile?"

Bryce said, surprised, "Why shouldn't you be?"

"Clarence was sterilised - practice for a trainee healer, and while I can't remember anything like that, it's a painless spell, he said. I just wanted to know."

"There is a monitor, but I'd have to borrow one. It's seldom needed."

As well as no sense of discretion, Bryce seemed to have not the slightest notion of tact. Even when he blithely asked questions that had the potential to be very embarrassing, he was not resented. More people gathered around him.

"He said he was kidnapped once..." Clarence said.

Bryce nodded. "They wanted to make it so that he wouldn't be able to lift his head again in public, so they filmed everything that happened in the three weeks. You can still buy it, if you know where to go. There used to be a pornographic film even, but the DMT thinks they've got rid of the last copies now."

"Was he really raped?"

"It was incredible. He was apparently totally unconscious, enough drugs that he could have died of it, and the camera was showing it all. It was about to happen, and then the penis of the man doing it became very, very short, and he was unable to rape."

"He worked magic?"

"He must have done. But he never admitted to remembering anything."

"Did someone fix the man?"

"They tried, and couldn't. So then they broke every bone in his body, just about, as punishment."

Valencio smiled. If only he could have done that to some of those who'd raped him. To vanish their penis. What a poetic revenge.

Clarence asked, "So he didn't really get raped."

Bryce nodded. "Very carefully, right at the end. They wanted to release him, as he would soon have died. But they had only female voices in the room, from a tape, none of the men spoke, in case he managed to drag himself awake, they had him very heavily drugged, then stunned him as well. They even broke and displaced a leg, so if he woke, he might think about his leg instead of what was being done to him. Then it was done very quickly, with no warning."

Bryce looked at the few men that listened, and said, "Men always feel very shamed when that happens. And it's extremely rare in wizard culture - viewed as a more serious crime than murder." He chuckled. "He must have known, even when he pretended he didn't. He killed two men the day after he escaped, and the day after that, he was off with the nurse who treated him in a medj hospital." And he said, very affectionately, "No-one else but Bellamy. Any other wizard would have shrivelled up with shame, maybe committed suicide when it became widely known. But Bellamy just played harder than ever, with more women than ever before. It's why he's a legend."

Clarence said hesitantly, "He said it happened again, much later, but he said he was older then, and that time he said he thought it childish to be upset about a minor physical intrusion."

Bryce echoed, "A minor physical intrusion!" But then he said firmly, "I know nothing of any other rape. Just that one time while he was drugged."

Valencio thought it the first time he'd lied to them, but no-one queried, and he certainly wasn't going to. It was not something that John would want them knowing.

_xdividerx_

He checked the notice board before dinner. It was habitual. With so many of them, it was the simplest way of conveying news. This time there was a notice put up by Carol - that the headmistress of the local school had been approached to run a bridging course there, that they should hear in a few days.

Tasha asked, "Are you interested?"

Valencio answered, "Not in university, and I'm fully occupied here. There's always things to do."

Tasha looked at it thoughtfully, and mused, "It's a year's course, and it's not just for university. Kaede was good, but there's so much we must have missed out on."

"I told you what Elspeth McConachie told me - that maybe we should allow a month's readjustment for each year of captivity. That gives you over a year yet, and me a few more months."

"You've changed your mind about leaving as soon as possible, haven't you?"

"Carol says I'm needed here. Clarence too. And I think we can be probably happier here than anywhere else in the world."

At dinner, Veronica and Angini were full of their news, that they were going to rent a men's hairdressing business, get a month's tuition from the barber, who wanted to retire, and take over. "We'll be self-supporting," Veronica said, with an immense satisfaction. "Dot has to organise the business contracts, as none of us have the faintest idea, not even Carol, but then it will be our business!"

Angini said, "It'll be nice if we take some of Rhonda's customers from her, seeing she was so nasty to us."

"Women's haircuts?" asked Carol. "You're good at women's haircuts as well."

"Probably, and when we know how, we can do fancy haircuts, and colouring and curling, things like that."

"A bit risky, without proper training," said Tiffany.

"We'll have to think about that. Anyway, just standard men's haircuts for a start."

"You'll be the first to become independent," said Valencio.

Veronica said, "We'll need models of course, when we try different haircuts."

Valencio grinned. "You can experiment on me. I don't mind."

Jimmy looked a bit alarmed, and said, "Not me!"

That evening in the ballroom, when the triumphs of the day had been thoroughly discussed, Gloria said, "John suggested that I just don't do it. That it's good to sort things out in your own head, but not necessary to tell everyone else." She smiled. "It made me feel a lot better about it, and I've decided to do it anyway, and so is Maliwan. It's so that we've all done it, and we can go on from here."

Carol asked, "Chocolate?"

"Beer, please. Lots of beer. I want to celebrate afterwards, because we're free."

Carol nodded. "Valencio, Clarence, Jimmy, lots of beer."

Bernice followed them. If it was going to be a party, there should be food, as well. Bernice wore an air of contentment these days. Freeing herself from religion was as significant as being freed from captivity.

Settled with a glass of beer, Gloria started. "We lived in Bangkok. Dad worked at the embassy, but in some fairly minor capacity, I think. Our home was in a sector where a lot of foreigners lived - a fairly modest home, but there was a Thai servant who kept the house cleaned, and kept me out of sight whenever Dad was home. Mum was a small, nervy woman. You couldn't give her a fright as a joke, or she'd be upset for hours.

"When I was not quite eleven, she died suddenly. No-one told me what she died of. The servant left the day after, and I was left very much alone. On the third night after her death, the day of my birthday, Dad got into my bed as I slept, and he was in me, and hurting, before I even properly woke up. I tried to run away then, but my door was locked, and my window was made so that it only raised about six inches, though I tried and tried to squeeze through.

"The next day, there was another servant, a man. Maybe part of his wages for keeping me a prisoner was that he was allowed to use me, too. After I was away from school three months, someone came and spoke to Dad about why I was no longer at school. I tried to call to her, but Suyitno put his hand over my mouth, and held me.

"Suyitno was out a few days later, and Dad lay beside me snoring. I got a heavy ornament from under the bed, where I'd put it earlier in the day, and started hitting his head as hard as I could. I'm not sure whether I killed him or not. He was making a funny sort of a snoring noise. I found his key, and let myself out of the bedroom, but the front door was locked, and I couldn't find that key, or any other way out. I had to wait until Suyitno opened it, before ducking behind him, and running.

"He chased me a long time, but I finally squeezed through a fence where he couldn't follow, and hid. He still wasn't far behind, though, and determined to catch me. I'll never forget trying desperately to muffle my breathing, while he searched close. I thought even if they killed me, it was good that my father was at least hurt. But I was only eleven, and didn't want to die.

"I survived six months as a beggar on the streets of Bangkok. I learned to be fierce, so that I wouldn't be used again, as I had been by my father and by Suyitno. I was picked up by two Khatabi-Richi, Arif, who was quite old, and one called Fujita. I think Arif took pity on me. But I preferred to be a beggar. He was occupied with something else, and I was left to Fujita, and seeing I was not a virgin, he was allowed to use me as he chose. I fought him all the way at the beginning, but Fujita made a game of it, using a different method of control each time. When I managed to hurt him one night, he punished me with the Pain Curse until Arif heard my screams, and came in to stop him. We were still in Bangkok.

"The next night, he tied me to the bed, and then sat on the edge of the bed. And he smiled at me, and caressed my face, even when I managed to bite. He said, 'You have to learn that your destiny is to serve the needs of men. And this is to teach you. After this, you'll know not to fight.' And he said it's called the Mizuho-Freeni Curse. He repeated it three times, he said, so I'd remember."

Jimmy creased his forehead. Had he seen that curse? Valencio looked away, and shivered.

Gloria was a courageous woman, but it was beginning to be very difficult. She drank her beer, and finally continued. "He was right. I gave up after that, and never fought again. He thought it was funny. He'd just touch me, very gently, and it would hurt. The ties around my wrists and ankles were terribly painful. Even contact with the bed. For a while, he just played with himself, watching me, and touching me gently every now and then, to enjoy my pain. That would have been enough. I would have given up, and been obedient. But then he got on and had sex when I was like that. When every tiny touch was agony."

Valencio remembered that at least Adil had lifted it before taking him. It had been one of those times when the guards had waited for him to recover a little, so that he'd be able to walk back by himself. But he'd been accustomed to pain by then, and Gloria had been just a little girl of eleven. Fujita. He didn't know anyone called Fujita.

Gloria said quietly, "I think I nearly died. I never saw Fujita again. When I woke, Arif was trying to feed me a potion. I begged him not to hurt me any more, I said I'd do anything, and I wouldn't fight any more, ever. I didn't fight them again. I made myself into the best sex slave I could be, so that they wouldn't hurt me, and wouldn't kill me. I still wanted to live, you see. Maliwan helped me, and both of us became very popular for a long time."

She smiled sadly. "We'd do fellatio, you see. And as far as I know, they never tried to force anyone to do that, maybe because of Sonata."

Maliwan gave her a warm smile of congratulation, as she relaxed in the chair, drank the last of her beer, and said that she was finished.

Maliwan said, "My turn now," which took pitying eyes away from her friend.

"I was picked up in Bangkok at the same time as Gloria, except I was a couple of years older, and things were very different for me. I was a professional, reared from childhood as a sex worker. By the time I was chosen, I'd already been working over a year. I could do tricks, because I'd been working at muscle control so long, well before puberty. I don't remember losing my virginity, as I started training so young. They hired me, didn't just take me. They promised a generous wage, and lured me at the start with a diamond necklace, which I still have. Genuine, too, as I had a jeweller in Duich check it for me.

"They kept paying me, even though I knew I was a prisoner the moment they put a number on my arm. And then, of course, it was the Nala Spell, which at least meant I never had another period, not that there had been many at that age. But I told Nusa'pei that it was better to pay me, and have me the best performer ever, than just to have another unwilling slave. And I gave him such a good time when he used me, that he agreed. It was only when I was put over into Enclosure 2, that he stopped paying me. I tried telling him to let me go, as I was an employee, not a slave."

She smiled. "I thought it was worth a try. Fair money, but not as much as I thought, and one jewel a year, though they were most of them just pretty glass. It's a nice collection, though, twenty-three years of pretty jewels, some of them real.

"I'm going to buy myself a business, maybe a dress shop. In Bogridge, because it's so beautiful here. If I'd stayed as a sex worker in Thailand, I probably wouldn't have been still alive. I don't know whether REF injections were invented then, but I know I never had one.

"And now that's all of us, and I definitely think we should party!"

"Invite the others?"

"No, not even John. Just us!"

Gloria asked Valencio to join her again that night for a little while, and gave him enormous pleasure, in return for the pleasure he gave her. Afterwards, she lay a while on his shoulder, as he stroked.

Finally, she said, "You know Revenge's foal? I'm going to call him Jack. It was my father's name, but the foal is to be gelded."

Valencio pointed out, "If your father had been gelded, you wouldn't be here!"

"I suppose. No matter what, I always wanted to live."

"We're both alive. Against all expectation."

He stroked her gently, and said, "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been alive. You and Tasha and Hilde and Emma. I was too weak for it."

Gloria kissed him, and ran a finger gently down his penis, "Alive and intact. And how many of us have been glad you're intact?"

Valencio laughed, and admitted, _"I_ certainly am!"

"Mildred told me that Clarence used to oblige some of the women now and then. But once he partnered Bernice, he stopped."

"Tasha doesn't mind. She says she'd be upset if I went with an outsider, but we're like family."

_xchapter endx_

_PLEASE NOTE: After this chapter, I am going to post the rest of the story, so another 18 or so chapters. So don't get confused, this is Chapter 19, so start at Ch 20.  
I hope you enjoy it._


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 20__:_

The significant horse show was to be in two weeks time. The talk seldom strayed far from it. Plans were needed. Even to get so many there, was a big exercise, but Carol was an excellent organiser. Bellamy was to be there, acting as groom and helper, but in disguise.

The show schedule was studied, and Gloria watched riders with horses, and made the decisions when horses were in dispute. They were going for prizes, but they were also going for maximum participation. They had a borrowed horse called Thowra. Golden palomino, showy. He went well with Amber. Tiffany on Patrick was understood, but who would ride Nigretta in the showing? Nigretta was beautiful. The rider should not spoil her chances. The girls planned to blitz all opposition in the gymkhana events, with Mosquito, Gus and Storm.

Bellamy was consulted, and the women listened carefully, not arguing when they couldn't have their chosen horses. Four had their own horses, but would not necessarily ride them. They were too recently broken in, though Tasha planned to ride Honey in both riding and showing events. Gloria had been regularly riding Madigan, under Bellamy's eye to begin with. She would have him in the jumping. There was Kennedy, as well, whom she'd been riding regularly. Others had started to ride him as well, but Bellamy said he was too risky yet to take to a show.

Bryce McKenzie visited again one day. Jimmy and Valencio both saw him, and he used a monitor, told them they were perfectly healthy, and could sire children.

Jimmy frowned at the good news, and then said, "Keep it quiet, for goodness sake. Brigitta has been saying I should find someone who can have children, and she's more likely to marry me if I say I'm sterile."

Valencio nodded. "I might tell Tasha that, as well. I don't want children, and I do want Tasha."

Bryce said that of course he'd keep it quiet. "Healer's ethics, you know."

Valencio and Jimmy glanced at each other. Healer's ethics? They suspected they knew more about Bellamy's health than he did.

It was nearly summer school holidays, and Bellamy had his youngest daughter coming home from school. Thursday afternoon, he packed his things, put a dog under each arm, and left Loch Lomand, followed by Dot and Michael on Friday morning, though Dot would be coming back two mornings a week, to help with things such as buying premises for a dress shop in Bogridge, for Maliwan and Sheila, who were going into partnership.

Emma approached Valencio, and showed him a letter. "I need to go to Edinburgh, to see my parents. Dot or Michael or Susan would take me, if I asked, but I wondered if maybe you would."

"I'd be happy to."

Emma smiled at him, "I know I should learn to drive myself..."

No-one else wanted to go, as most of them were feverishly practising for the horse show.

Emma was very nervous, and clung to Valencio as they entered the large foyer of the hotel where Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange were staying. Donna Lestrange looked more pale and nervous than Emma, and Bill, Emma's father, fidgeted constantly, sometimes pulling out a cigarette packet, and each time remembering that it was a no smoking area.

Emma took a deep breath and said a grave hello, said that her friend was called Vince McDonald, but then she just stopped and stared. "Mum?" she finally said, in a quavering voice. Her mother suddenly knew her daughter, took a step forward, and clung to her, crying.

Valencio looked away, wondering whether he should come back later.

Bill was suddenly shaking his hand, vigorously, thanking him. Valencio shook his head, and tried to say he didn't bring her back, only acted as chauffeur.

Bill said, his voice breaking, "It was so terrible, not knowing, you see? It would have been easier to bear if they'd been killed. But every day, we thought of our little daughters, and we didn't know."

Emma shook her head, and said calmly, that she was no longer a little daughter, and maybe they should go somewhere with a little more privacy. People were staring. Valencio glanced around, and spoke to Emma. "How about if I come back in say, an hour? And you can decide what you want to do then."

Emma nodded, now looking timidly at her father. She'd been a sex slave - an unpaid prostitute. Was she still wanted?

Emma's mother glanced at her husband, and then said to Valencio, "Room 223 - and I'm sorry, I can't remember your name."

"Vince. I'll be back in an hour." He touched Emma's arm, and said, "Back in an hour." Emma nodded.

It was an awkward hour, an awkward day. It was so hard to know what to say to a long lost daughter, miraculously returned. Valencio returned to find Emma sitting looking unhappy, now and then asking questions about nearly forgotten friends. She greeted him with relief, and asked him to sit next to her. He sat close, and put an arm around her. They'd better not be making her unhappy.

Bill asked, "How did Laura die?"

Emma looked at Valencio, "You tell him."

"Are you sure?"

Emma nodded, and almost whispered, "They have a right to know."

Valencio's arm tightened around her, and he said, "Laura died of rape, the first night. She never lived to know what it was to be a prisoner."

Emma nodded her head, looking at the floor.

After a painful pause, Bill asked, "What was your role in it all, Vince?"

"I was just another prisoner, taken six months or so after Emma."

"Do your parents know you're alive?"

"They're both dead, and I use another name now. I don't want it known."

Bill nodded. No wonder! Donna persisted, "There must be other family, who would want to know."

Valencio asked, "Is it better to know something like that, or remain in ignorance?"

Donna answered softly, "I can only answer for myself. I lost Laura, and I lost so many years knowing Emma. But she's alive, and we'll get to know one another again."

Bill asked Emma, "Are you coming home?"

Emma said, "Others have tried to go back to their parents' home, and it doesn't work. I'll keep in touch, but my home is with the others now."

They were all looking down, all silent. Valencio said, "I have to find a good fabric shop, and buy material. I have a list. Maybe, if it's too hard to talk, you can help."

Emma stood straightaway, eager to get away from the difficult situation. Bill also rose, and asked, "Do you know how to find a good fabric shop, Vince?"

Valencio shook his head, and Bill took charge, asking for information at the reception desk. Half an hour later, Donna and Emma were selecting fabric from Valencio's list, arguing over the various choices, and accepting the willing help of the shop assistant. Valencio leaned against a wall with Bill beside him, and smiled. "Good idea," said Bill quietly.

"I've seen so many go to see lost family, and come back upset, rather than happy. It's a difficult situation."

"How many of you are there?"

"Seventy-nine women, nearly all of whom have gone fashion mad. My wife is Tasha, and she's appearing in a different creation every evening."

"Seventy-nine!"

"A bloke named John came and got us out."

"A bloke named John."

Valencio nodded. A bloke named John. John who'd listened to him and had given him something. John who was also the great wizard, not just any wizard, but far and away the most powerful wizard in the world. John, who was very old, and had compassion. John who was soft-hearted.

Bill said decisively, "We'll have this delivered back to the hotel for now, go and eat at a restaurant, and then you can take Emma back." He smiled, "And Donna and I can cry in each other's arms."

Valencio said, "One of the younger girls met her Mum, and swore she'd never talk to her again, because all she did was cry. She has relented, but you're right. Best not to cry until afterwards."

"Any parents unable to accept their daughter's past?"

"One. Told her she was no longer part of the family. As if she had any choice! Others, I'm told, just try and pretend it never happened, which is a much better idea, it seems to me. There is no need to dwell on old traumas."

Bill sighed, thinking of his beautiful twin daughters, Laura and Emma.

Valencio said, "The ones who did it are dead. Poisoned. Just the day after, we think by one of the women of the family, who heard about it."

"But there were others?"

"Not for a long time. You shouldn't think about it. You have your daughter back."

Bill nodded. He would make her an allowance, so she didn't have to live on any sort of charity or government benefit. She was a grown woman, in her twenties. He couldn't have his little girl back. Maybe she'd marry, and there would be grandchildren. They'd only had the two girls, but one day, there might be grandchildren. He asked, "Were there others, so young?"

"We think they made a new rule after Emma, that no-one under the age of twelve should be taken. I never saw anyone under twelve come in, and most new ones I saw were fifteen or sixteen, a few even eighteen." He glanced at Bill, "We were always fed and sheltered, and generally, no-one was hurt, provided they behaved themselves."

Bill helped Valencio with the large packages of fabrics. More were being sent on. Emma kissed her parents, hurriedly, said she'd write, and got into the car. Bill shook Valencio's hand, and said, "Thanks, Vince."

They waved, and Emma turned at the last minute, and waved back, too far away to see the tears in the eyes of both of them.

On the way home, Valencio said, "They said not knowing was the worst."

"You're thinking of the ones who died?"

Valencio nodded. "I think we should try and tell their families, somehow."

Emma asked, "What about you?"

Valencio shook his head. "I'm Vince McDonald, now, and there's no-one who knew me, would care that much. Those films... But I was barely twelve in the last, even younger in the others, and I'm sure no-one would recognise me. My ID papers even. I made sure to have a different birth date put on them, and I said I was British."

"You don't look British."

"A mixed marriage, Greek mother, Scottish father. I have a birth certificate, my parents' birth and death certificates, their marriage certificate. Dot gave me whatever I asked for, and never said a thing."

Carol listened to Valencio and Emma, and said she'd discuss it with the Committee. It had to be discreet, as the idea of having reporters approach them was alarming, and their address must not become known. Dot listened, and consulted. The result was a visit from Daryl Innes, from the DMT, who was an expert at the subtle Crio-Magic, that would protect their privacy, even when clues abounded. He wore wizard robes, and few of the women came close, though Valencio did, curious. He couldn't tell, though, whether the young Daryl he'd met once, might be the son of the brilliant wizard.

Only when that was done, were some paid advertisements inserted, in America rather than in Britain, as a further safeguard. The biggest newspaper in New York. That was the master list. 'Fate of some missing people.' The headings were Dead, and Almost Certainly Dead. They were in alphabetical order of Christian names, as so many of the surnames were unknown, never used in the enclosures. But there was nearly always country of origin, age when taken, if known, and the approximate year taken, as best they could work out. If there were any other identifying characteristics, they were also included, and they said that further information about individuals was available on request.

Other smaller ads were put in the newspapers of several countries, but containing only the names of its citizens. Further enquiries had to be made through the same New York newspaper. They couldn't be checking too many newspapers. They called themselves 'The Survivors,' and enquiries were to be made through the Personal Column, in the Classified Ad section. Within a few days, the newspaper made a subheading, especially for them - there were a lot of enquiries, not just about those names, but about numerous others they'd never heard of.

There was international furore, as police of dozens of countries combed their records, and sought additional information. Police enquiries were blandly ignored, but there were a dozen of the older women, led by Kaede, who answered the enquiries, as best as they could, getting as much information about individuals, and then deciding how much to pass on. It was like Valencio, who'd implied that Emma and Laura had been raped by two men, not dozens.

No-one tracked down the men and women of Loch Lomand, though several of the locals had a very good idea. Oddly, when Rhonda, the hairdresser, tried to point the finger, no-one listened.

There was a mother of Pamela, aged about twelve, blonde, probably English. She now knew her daughter was long dead, but had died very, very bravely. Her mind finally at rest, Pamela's mother also died. There were others. A Chinese gymnastics instructor, thought to have been too harsh, leading to the flight of four of their elite gymnasts from the New York Academy of Sport was now exonerated. On the other hand, four sets of parents now knew that their daughters were 'almost certainly dead.'

As none of those Lucy and Eva had known in New York had apparently surfaced, the 'almost certainly dead,' became 'dead,' on their lists.

It was a difficult job, answering the letters, and the medj continued to meet in the ballroom after dinner, though it was informal, and not with the 100% attendance that had been customary.

There was a newspaper article, with photographs of many of those now known to be dead. _Police conclude that these particular kidnap victims were taken for use as prostitutes. Missing people who were not especially good-looking, are unlikely to be of the group calling themselves the survivors._ They winced at that. Somehow 'prostitutes' sounded worse than sex slaves, though Gloria pointed out that the only difference was that they were never paid. A subheading_, Some were boys, _and names, Damir, Giuliano, Lionel, Jeremy, Patrick. They knew no other names. Pierre, the Favourite of Ahjmed for a few months, would never have a special plaque on the memorial track, and his parents would never know what had happened to their sweet-tempered little boy.

Two days after that article, Kaede went to Valencio, where he sat with Tasha and a few others, and showed him something. _To the survivors._ It was a plea to say if they knew anything of Valencio Durano, kidnapped when he was twelve.

"Dean Blockman," commented Valencio. "He was my stepfather for a couple of years."

"What will we say?"

"That I died, long ago."

"How will I say you died?"

Valencio glanced at Gloria, and grinned, "I died of pleasure because Gloria and Maliwan helped me shower."

Kaede smiled briefly, but said, "Maybe he cares about you. Maybe he's desperate to know."

Valencio shook his head, decidedly. "I'm Vince now. How can I go back? He was not my father, just one of about six stepfathers before my mother died."

"So you want me to say you died."

Valencio nodded, and said indifferently, "Any story you please."

Kaede rose, and said, "I'll tell him we know nothing of you."

Valencio shrugged, and then whispered to Tasha, who nodded. "Going for a swim," Tasha said, and a half dozen women joined them, followed by Jimmy. Valencio was not as excitable any more, and had given up bothering with shorts, and Jimmy also swam nude. The swimming pool was always very well patronised.

In the morning, Valencio took a car in for a minor repair, and worked contentedly with Bob, who addressed him as Vince, and said that he'd be able to replace a fan belt himself the next time. Valencio said, "I can do quite a few things, now, but the women still don't trust me!"

"Could that be because of the one that had an engine fire?"

Valencio said indignantly, "Even you said that was not my fault!"

Bob grinned. "I was saving your feelings. Of course it was your fault."

Valencio chuckled, "I rather thought it was!" Freedom. It was so _good_ to be free. Good to know men, who just treated him as a man. Valencio was very happy.

Later that day, Inge and Brigitta said to Valencio, "Guess what we found." They had internet now, and showed him. "It's John's stud, the Line of Sheba. And there's pictures of his horses. People bid for them."

Valencio peered, and said, "Nantuckett, three-year-old black filly." He whistled, "Look at what they're bidding!"

"There's a filly called Kwai-Jeeha, as well. But it says she's still being broken in."

Brigitta said, "There was one called Brigitta sold a few weeks ago. What if she goes to the Olympics?"

"He says a lot get named as foals, but some just have numbers, but it's better when they're properly named."

"The new owners might just change the name, of course."

Amreeta glanced in the room, and exclaimed, "Valencio. I was looking for you." Valencio looked up, and Amreeta pointed out an article in the Aniragi News. He frowned, feeling suddenly almost ill. Narzu-Han. It had to be, though it said Narzu-Han Khattak. It said that he was the head of wizardry in Turkey, and that John had attacked him.

He put on a carefree grin, pretending he wasn't shaken by the unexpected reminder. He quoted, "It is assumed that no-one tried to arrest the great wizard because no-one can!"

Inge peered over his shoulder, and said, "He was in the Ministry building, in front of aurors, and he attacked Narzu-Han Khattak. His victim survived, but is still in shock."

Valencio's laugh was genuine now, "I _cannot_ imagine Narzu-Han in shock. He was always so much in command!"

"Dot said the paper exaggerates dreadfully, remember, and Aniragi law does not include things like libel and slander."

xdividerx

There was a lot happening at Loch Lomand. They were going out more, a few with men, sometimes with women acquaintances. Many had enrolled in 'hobby courses,' including a 'current affairs' one, that included history of the last twenty years or so. A computer room was organised, with thirty new computers. They would be needed for those tackling further education from September. They were no problem for the younger ones, and Carol announced that there would be lessons for any who wanted, just as soon as an instructor could be found. There was the dress shop for Sheila and Maliwan, as well. After careful discussion, a thirty-six seater bus was purchased, to be driven by Jimmy, and a twelve seater bus was purchased, that anyone with an ordinary license could drive. There were not enough cars, but they shared whenever possible, and managed.

There were some changes in the Committee, with Clarence, Bernice & Gloria now on it, while Kaliska, Lucy and Helene had chosen not to put their names forward again. Carol was still undisputed leader.

Emma now had an allowance from her parents, and a surprise was a sum of money from Narzu-Han Khatabi, 'for the education of Ingrid,' with the promise of a yearly sum to follow. Dot was able to shed light on that. There had indeed been a confrontation between their John and Narzu-Han, and although John had threatened to kill him, 'For Laura and Emma,' he'd finally pocketed his wand and instructed him to pay for the education of Ingrid, who wanted to be a vet.

Valencio was relieved that it was not for him. He was frightened to have anything to do with Narzu-Han. His curiosity was overwhelming, but he tried to stifle it, and threw himself into the final touches for the hayshed, then went to Joe Corbett for advice on when hay should be cut, and how.

A few days before the horse show, Tiffany stood up at dinner, and made an announcement. She was going to marry Cramsie McGonnigal, it would be at Loch Lomand, and they all had to be there, of course. Bernice would be catering, helpers as rostered.

Tiffany was overwhelmed with the congratulations. Cam's family would be there, but no other guests. There were still many of them frightened of strangers. Talking about their experiences might have helped, but there was no miraculous cure. The date was set for two weeks hence, the Saturday following the horse show. They tended to speak in terms of the horse show these days, though it was acknowledged that for many, the interest in horses had only been a stage on the way to recovery.

Valencio was called on next afternoon, to drive the small bus into Bogridge. Brigitta and a few other of the women wanted to do some shopping.

"Duich?" Valencio suggested. Duich had a much larger shopping centre than Bogridge.

Brigitta shook her head. "Next week, probably, if you will, but Bogridge is okay for now. We're pressed for time."

It was only a small bus, but there were not many with the confidence to drive it. Jimmy accompanied Brigitta when it came time, saying he had to buy something on his own account, and he'd keep Vince company.

Valencio was pleased. It would have been boring with nothing to do, though he thought he might visit Veronica for a haircut, maybe. And maybe Maliwan wanted help again. He'd drop in and see.

Jimmy watched the women leaving, and said, "The top pub, or the bottom pub?" Valencio looked at him, surprised, and Jimmy laughed. "Maybe it's time we met a few of the younger locals, and a drink at the pub's the best way to do that."

Valencio said uncertainly, "I've been to a pub in Duich a few times..."

Jimmy led, far more familiar with the pub environment than Valencio. Then they just leaned against the bar, drank beer, and looked around. Two young men joined them, remarked on the sunny day, and casually introduced themselves. But another, standing not far away, raised his voice. "Hey, Erin, what're you talking to them for? They're fags!"

Valencio was puzzled. "What's a fag?"

There was laughter. "He's a fag, and doesn't even know what it means."

Jimmy was looking very casual, and explained. "A fag is a man who likes to have sex with another man. Whether we're fags or not, I reckon we should beat him up just for trying to be insulting!"

Valencio said cautiously, "I tend to lose my temper if I fight. He doesn't look very fit. What if I hurt him?"

Clarence might have listened to Valencio's concern, knowing how dangerous he could be, but Jimmy said, provocatively, "Well, I suppose he could _apologise,_ and buy the next round of drinks..."

Roddy said contemptuously, "No way!"

"So, alright. How many want to fight the fags?" and Valencio and Jimmy both put down their drinks, and stood side by side, facing the husky young man.

Roddy said, "The pretty one must go underneath, I'd say."

Valencio's fist laid him out. There was a silence. At last one of the others said, "Roddy's my mate. Let's go outside."

"Round the back, there's a patch of grass," said the barman casually.

Valencio took a deep breath. He'd never actually been in a fight. He'd always just punched, and waited to see what happened next. He must not hurt, must not lose his temper. These were only young blokes fighting because they thought they should. No-one tried to stop it. No-one called the police. The four of them gave each other a few cuts and bruises, until the locals drew back, panting. "That do?" Jimmy asked.

Erin nodded. "I guess that'll do."

The audience included Roddy now, revived, but a touch dizzy still. He said, "You're got a great right, Vince."

Jimmy looked at Valencio's puzzled face, and said, "He means you can hit hard with your right hand."

Valencio laughed, "I thought I was fluent in English!"

By the time the women came to find them, Valencio and Jimmy were drinking heavily with their mates, Erin, Roddy and Tim. Jimmy and Erin had black eyes, Roddy a nasty bruise on his jaw, and Tim had a split lip. Eva raised her eyebrows, then laughed, "I guess it had better be one of us drive home."

Gary McGregor, brother of the policeman, had been waiting his opportunity, and now said casually, "I'm going out that way, and can drop them off if they want to stay a bit longer."

Jimmy instantly agreed, and Gary joined the group, and won the approval of Valencio. He was staying with his brother, Clem, and he was single. Valencio grinned. Did Gary hope to win a wife? He wasn't young, but neither were many of the women.

The local boys knew of the refugees of Loch Lomand, and they now knew that Valencio might be a little sensitive about certain things. They refrained from asking awkward questions, and spoke about soccer, cars, and Erin's girlfriend, who was pretty, but always sulked when he went out drinking with his mates.

Gary was as quiet as Valencio, although Jimmy was easy with the men, and argued the superiority of baseball over soccer. The Bogridge boys weren't quite sure where Jimmy fitted in. He was just an ordinary appearing man in his twenties, and happened to mention that he'd spent several years in the US Army. They didn't ask.

By the time Jimmy and Valencio were ready to leave, Jimmy was distinctly merry, and Valencio a touch dizzy. Gary drove them back, and was rewarded with dinner at Loch Lomand, and at last, met some of the beautiful women, including Kaede, whom his brother had spoken of with enormous admiration, but out of his wife's hearing.

With appreciation, Valencio watched as Gary took care to be undemanding, but talked to the older women about their interests. He was grey-haired, had a bald patch, and a severe limp. To Valencio's surprise, he appeared to win the approval of timid Mary, who told him about Ruby, at length, and then her painting. But Jimmy started telling Clarence about the fight, and Valencio listened, a little confused at his idea that a bit of a fight was a very good way of becoming friendly.

Gary's next planned step appeared to be to act as guide - an excursion to see the Loch Ness Monster. But it was to be in the small bus, Jimmy was to drive, and Mary would feel safe, with Connie, Kaede, and three other women also going. Valencio was protective about the women, but he liked Gary, who seemed to radiate kindness. Maybe he could make Mary happy.

xdividerx

There was a parade a few days before the horse show, completed costumes for the Fancy Dress competition. Maharni, who was to ride Nigretta, was to be a Spanish Senorita, Mariabella the Goddess of Sunshine, Tasha was to be a desert Arab.

Carol and Helene watched, smiling with satisfaction. But then, somewhat to his alarm, they turned to Valencio. Brigitta lifted a heavy object wrapped in sacking, and said, "Look!"

Valencio was stunned, "A real cutlass?"

"We're calling it a scimitar. You're to be the Turk."

Businesslike, Tasha said, "Take off your clothes, and you're to try on these."

Valencio eyed her armful of billowing red-orange silk, and said, "Brigitta told me that it's not manners to appear naked in front of women."

"Don't be silly. It's just us!"

Valencio rose and stripped off his shirt, and then his jeans, though leaving on underpants. Joyce was right. Jeans were a lot more comfortable with underpants beneath. The silk was pantaloons, and they billowed around his legs.

Gloria frowned at him, "The tan could be deeper. No more wearing shirts outside."

"Aren't you forgetting? I can't ride."

"You just have to sit on a horse, and steer, and you can do that much."

"Which horse?"

"We'll try Madigan, who looks so big, and as if he could be fierce."

Valencio suddenly laughed, "Why not?"

"There's a leather worker in Duich, so you have to go there tomorrow, and have a new scabbard made up. Urgently, straightaway. Brigitta will go too, to look beseeching if necessary, and Gloria because she knows how it should go."

"Where did you find it?"

"In one of the dungeons, with some rusty chains. On a high shelf, almost out of sight. Could have been there a hundred years! The scabbard was rotted, though."

Valencio ran his finger down the blade, and said, "Needs sharpening."

Tasha said reprovingly, "You're not about to kill anyone. Polishing will do!"

Carol said John would be staying the day after the horse show, and also probably the day before, as they'd need an early start, and he was good at helping where he was needed. Melanie was staying with them again, and giving an enormous amount of help. She was very enthusiastic about the horse show, and when asked if Michael had given permission, said only that Michael didn't know everything.

The last few days were fully taken up with practising. Madigan condescended to allow Valencio to ride him, though snorting in disapproval at his garb. It was not the good silk pantaloons, but a lividly coloured spare set, just to make sure the horse wouldn't take one look and bolt. There was a surprise addition to the line-up for the jumping. Thierry and Kennedy. They made a very good team.

Excitement, nerves. It had become very important to them, almost certainly the last big thing they would do together. Tiffany would be the first to leave, when she married Cramsie, and moved to his property, not very far away. But they all knew she was just the first.

_xchapter endx_


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 21:_

By the time Bellamy appeared in Loch Lomand, the day before the horse show, there was a great deal of activity. Valencio and the other men were fully occupied carrying loads of tack and provisions to a hired truck. Except for his class, he was to help saddle horses, help groom horses when required, and lead Belinda in the class she was entering, riding Bluejoe. He would be fully occupied.

Carol would not be riding, just organising. By dinner, everything was prepared that could be prepared, even the refreshments, both the ones they would take, with a preserving crio on them, courtesy of Melanie, and a dinner that was already prepared for the evening meal on their return.

Valencio was too busy to take much notice of John until dinner when he manoeuvred himself a place near him, and started to quiz him about Narzu-Han.

"They said you attacked him."

"I was furious enough to kill him. But in the end, I let him go."

Carol said, "You nearly killed him in front of the aurors?"

Bellamy acknowledged, "It would have been very foolish. But he was supposed to be harmlessly in Turkey, unable to hurt anybody, and with his magic weakened. Instead, he changed his name, and took power. The only thing is that he's apparently a force for law and order."

Valencio said, "A force for law and order?"

"Apparently so."

Valencio shook his head, and suddenly laughed. "I told him what I thought about his family once. It took me three days to regain consciousness!"

Helene said, surprised, "Is that why he punished you so severely? I always thought you tried to kill him."

Valencio said casually, "He slept with me regularly. If I'd wanted to kill him, it would have been very easy." He'd embarrassed himself, but tried not to show it. Some of the younger ones were staring at him, astounded. Valencio was irritated at their surprise. He'd been a sex slave, just like them all. And if he was told to sleep with Arikiyo or Narzu-Han, or anyone else, what choice had he had?

Carol gave them a look of rebuke, and asked Bellamy, "What about the others you spoke to."

"It worked alright with the others, as far as I can make out."

More quizzing followed, and he admitted that he could find them by thinking carefully about them, and then looking at their minds. They took it for granted. He was the great wizard, wasn't he? Surely he could do anything!

Carol asked, "Ahjmed?"

"I sent him to Russia, and he's in some sort of a mental institution. He wears a shapeless tracksuit, and there's a stout nurse who kindly calls him _Love!_"

There was a peal of laughter, followed by cheers. So many of them had been just children when they were pushed into his room.

Valencio asked, "Adil?"

"Fat! Married to a medj, surrounded by small children, that he smiles on. He's happy."

Valencio was disappointed, and remarked, "For years, I waited for a chance to ruin his other eye."

Bellamy said, "He cannot rape, he cannot hurt, or defend himself. He may be happy, but he's harmless."

"Iyad?"

"I couldn't find him. I think he must be dead."

"Faheem?"

"Also living with a medj wife. Contented."

Valencio nodded. Faheem hadn't been so bad, really. Just that he'd asked for a boy, and the boy had lost eighteen years of his life, and in a way he still thought of as shameful. Adil, though. Yet as far as he knew, Adil had never exercised his sadism on anyone other than himself. There were several women who'd said they'd been his favourites, and not one had complained of their treatment. Rosnita had even called him 'kind.'

Carol asked, "What about the women?"

"The ones I could remember seem fine, mostly living in wizarding cultures again. I didn't take notice of the young ones."

"What about others? Do you know much?"

"Zoe and Najia have taken over both Morocco and Japan, and both countries have a new system of law."

Eva asked, "Zhang?"

"Part of the girls' personal guard."

"Hung Tu?"

"The same, I think, or maybe just an ordinary guard or fighter."

More questions of individuals, though most he couldn't answer, and reminded them he'd been in Morocco only a week or so after they'd gone.

"Fujita?" asked Gloria.

Bellamy hesitated, and frowned. "I've heard the name..." He took another mouthful of his dinner, and mentioned how good it was.

"Fujita?" Gloria persisted.

Bellamy said casually, "I remember, now - I killed him," and nearly choked as Gloria hugged him from the back, as hard as she could.

"How?" Carol asked.

"It was after I brought Evita here for a quick visit. Rafu was with me. Luckily only the best wizards can make a death spell without verbalising it, and I heard the incantation in time to hit it back."

"We heard about that. Abensur said that it was impossible, but the great wizard was known for doing things that were impossible."

Gloria asked, with relish, "Did it hurt him to die?"

"Death Curses are instant and painless."

Gloria sighed, "I would have liked him to suffer."

He looked surprised, a little shocked, even. "I always thought death enough."

Gloria shook her head, "It's not enough."

Shirley said, "Definitely not enough. I like the thought of Ahjmed, though. I hope they're cruel sometimes."

Bellamy said, a touch reprovingly, "You're very bloodthirsty."

They laughed, and Ingrid said, "We don't casually kill people, and by all accounts, you do!"

To their surprise, Bellamy was seriously offended, putting down his knife and fork, and speaking very deliberately. "I have never in my life killed anyone _casually._ I may have killed - on rare occasions, but never casually!" He abandoned his dinner and left them staring blankly at each other.

Valencio only shrugged. He was a wizard wasn't he? They had different standards. The women forgot sometimes, he thought.

Bellamy reappeared a couple of hours later, escorted by Veronica and Angini, who looked very pleased with themselves. His hair was now trimmed shorter, and distinctly brown. "I'll be in disguise," he explained to Belinda, who stared at him in surprise. "Make-up in the morning to conceal facial scars, and I'll wear riding dress, which I never do, normally."

Quietly, a little later, when he was alone for a moment, Valencio joined him. Bellamy asked, "Worried about Narzu-Han, Vince?"

Valencio was perfectly honest. "I'm frightened he'll come for me."

"He did ask about you, I didn't tell him anything, and he doesn't know where you are."

"I think he could find me - we had a connection."

John was using that voice again, that made someone feel as if he knew everything, and cared. "You should not see him again, I think. If you do see him, what you should do is yell for me, but only in your mind. I'll hear, and wherever I am, I will come, and if you want, I'll kill him."

Valencio said in a low voice, "I don't want him killed. Just that he has to stay away from me."

"Don't worry about him. He cares about you, and I don't think he wants to harm you. If you see him, call me."

"Would you really hear?"

Bellamy nodded. "A few of the aurors have done that, when they get into too much trouble. Michael even, once. I guess if you happen to catch me sound asleep, it might take a while to wake me, but even then, all you have to do is persist."

Valencio said, "Yell for you, in my mind."

He tried it, and Bellamy winced, and said, "Like that. No need to practise any more."

Valencio laughed, and commented, "Carol was sure I had some telepathic talent myself, and was always pestering me to try and look at the minds of the guards."

"Could you do it?"

"Occasionally, I think. But I never knew whether I was right or not."

Bellamy said, "It's a rare talent. I was fifty before I knew that I had some talent, but since then, it's continued to develop. Can be awkward. I never try and feel minds, unless there's a real need, but sometimes, a thought is so loud and clear that I hear it anyway. I have to try hard not to show I've accidentally overheard, and sometimes it's very embarrassing."

Valencio said, "I stopped trying the moment I stepped out of the App. Box. Before then, it was a matter of survival. Now, I don't want to know."

Bellamy agreed, "A lot more peaceful."

There were a few laggards in the morning, but they were away only a few minutes after seven, complete with thirty-four horses and fifty-six riders, plus Bellamy, almost all of them in riding gear.

Bellamy was in the small bus driven by Valencio, and he relaxed in his seat and went to sleep. He hadn't slept well the previous night, restless again, as he was so often recently. He was waiting for something to happen. Something more than the horse show, though he understood the significance it had for what he tended to regard as 'his medj.' He looked unfamiliar, the scar on his left cheek that was so much a part of him, was now concealed with expert use of make-up, plus the brown dye over his black, white-streaked hair.

It took a little longer than expected to reach the venue, and find an area where there was space for all the vehicles to be together. But then Carol was issuing quick orders. "Unload the truck, horses out of the big horse box, and John, stay with me."

A few minutes later, she called, "Fancy Dress people. Quickly. You can change in here. Jimmy, you have the list of horses. As quick as you can."

They gaped. The horse box now had a pair of swinging doors, red carpet, gold tasselled cushions, two chairs, two full length mirrors, and a few shelves, and hangers. Maharni had the most elaborate costume, and was first to start stripping in order to get ready. There was not much time.

The horses were already waiting as they emerged, now costumed. Maharni was boosted into her seat by Jimmy, and arranged herself into the side-saddle. Madigan was a big horse, and Valencio was wearing silk. He too, was given a boost. Madigan turned his head, looked at him, and shook himself, as Valencio grabbed his mane, and asked him to please behave, he knew he couldn't ride. Jimmy took his shoes for him. Valencio was to have bare feet.

Jimmy looked up, and shook his head. He hadn't quite realised just how extraordinarily good-looking his friend was. He handed up the scimitar, and Valencio arranged it aslant across his back, and then pulled it suddenly, flashing it around in the sunlight. Madigan snorted disapprovingly, and Daybreak, being ridden by Tasha, in flowing Arab robes, shied away from him.

Carol snapped, "Valencio, stop that!"

Valencio grinned, put the scimitar back in the scabbard, and apologised.

The six joined a dozen other competitors, and a steward studied them, and changed them around. Tasha was put with other 'Arabs,' and Valencio was ordered to ride with them. The steward indicated to Maharni. "You go first, then the Arabs, the bare-chested man among them, then the red Indians, others as they choose." He pointed, "You, last." Hilde nodded.

"You're to circle the whole ring at a walk, then line up in front of the main grandstand. There's a steward there will show you where."

"Commencing the show with a spectacle," boomed the loudspeaker. "Adults' Fancy Dress."

Maharni took a deep breath, Nigretta remembered she came from a breed bred for parade duty, arched her neck, and showed herself off. Maharni had glossy black hair, an exotic beauty, and caught all eyes. She was the Spanish Senorita.

She was followed by several strangers in flowing Arab robes, and riding Arabs. There was also Tasha, on Daybreak, who looked like she had more Arab in her than anything else. But then came Valencio, and there was a positive sigh from the crowd at the beautiful man who sat casually bareback on the prancing horse. Madigan carried his passenger very carefully, making sure not to do anything that might dislodge him. Valencio grinned at the crowd, and Madigan arched his neck a bit further. He was being admired, and he was loving it.

Then the red Indians, the mare called Annie Oakley, white splashed blood chestnut, with Kwai-Jeeha in loosely interpreted Indian gear. Three more strangers, on Appaloosas, as Indians. Then Mariabella, on Thowra, her golden mane almost the same colour as the horse's coat. Hilde on Dragon Breath came last. She wore voluminous black skirts, and her blonde hair was veiled. There was no saddle. Even the bridle was just rope reins attached to the halter, as Bellamy often used. She looked like some sort of a peasant woman, and was an Earth Mother.

They'd done a good job of matching riders to horses, and the Fancy Dress participants wound up with a first, second and third, Maharni, Valencio, and Kwai-Jeeha. "At my age," Kwai-Jeeha said, laughing.

It was a triumphant return to the horse boxes, and there was a cheer for them. They'd have to do it again later, as they'd been instructed that they were all to be in the Grand Parade. Gloria was all smiles. It was a good start. The side-saddle for Maharni had been a winner, she thought, supplied by Cramsie McGonnigal.

But there were show classes, and riding classes, and Carol was very busy, ensuring horses and riders were sent off to the right place at the right time. Valencio was in ordinary clothing again, and acting under instructions, setting up trestle tables, pulling out foldable chairs, and setting out food. It would be available all day, the simplest way.

Bellamy turned up, disappeared into a horse box, and started handing out an apparently endless supply of tables and chairs, effortlessly and instantly conjured, followed by red and white checked table cloths. "Obligatory for any sort of picnic," he claimed, when queried.

Women rode off, and came back happy, whether or not they had ribbons. Tasha was in a pairs class, and reported, "We were in the front row, but Russki decided to try and kick the one next door, and then we were put back." A lot of the women liked the pairs classes, as there was always a friend close for moral support. There had also been two pairs of women on black ponies, and a pair on grey horses. There were plenty of horses to choose from, and they'd been allocated carefully.

Belinda was in the Joanna Greene Class. It was theoretically a show class, but the riders were led, they didn't have to dismount, and it was judged on appearance, grooming, and behaviour of the horse, not the rider. The class had been designed especially for Riding for Disabled competitors, but open to anyone. It was ideally suited to Belinda, who even now could scarcely rise to the trot, but wanted to be in it anyway. She rode her beloved Bluejoe, and was led by Valencio. He was no longer bare-chested and in pantaloons, but attracted attention anyway, as did the angelically fair woman who rode the ugly pony.

Two men hovered near in riding dress, and Valencio narrowed his eyes. They carried that indefinable aura of power, but Thierry told him, "They're aurors, keeping an eye on Bellamy, as bodyguards."

Gloria appeared, and told Valencio to stop looking as if he expected to have to run any moment.

Valencio said defensively, "Call me Vince. And I wasn't taking the slightest notice of them!"

Gloria grinned at him, "I'm thinking of marrying one. I don't like housework, and everything's so easy with magic."

Valencio glanced at them again, "Which one?"

"The one who moves like a panther. John says he has a sweet tooth," and she chose a chocolate slice and an iced cake, and took it to the chosen one.

Valencio shrugged, and wondered if that man would ever do any housework, whether or not it was so easy with magic. Bellamy took a coffee and a few refreshments to the other, and stayed talking easily with him a few minutes. He didn't appear to be expecting the slightest trouble, but was obviously totally accustomed to the bodyguards.

But then Carol snapped at Valencio to clean up Grey Lady, Daybreak, and Connor, as they were needed in five minutes. Valencio did as he was told, and not long later, it was Madigan he was saddling. The show jumping would be soon, and they had several competitors. It was a very large class, and would go most of the day.

Bellamy strolled around the area filled with their horses and the women not currently competing, and vanished a few piles of dung. It was a definite advantage having a wizard around.

Melanie was with the girls, very busy in the gymkhana events, such as the bending, potato and bucket, flag and bucket, and quite a lot of others. They loved the speed and excitement, and Gus, Mosquito and Storm were all quick and clever horses.

Riders in the show jumping came trickling back. Thierry on Kennedy, looking more frightened than triumphant. "We had a clear round, and have to jump again."

Valencio hugged her, and said she was obviously the most marvellous rider in the world, and Kennedy the most marvellous horse. Thierry patted Kennedy, who nudged at her pockets, where there was often sugar.

"John's watching, and I think every single one of us made him come close, so we could touch. I'm sure he's good luck."

Valencio agreed, "Definitely good luck!"

He wasn't worrying about Narzu-Han any more. John would make sure he never came near. Eva, Lucy, and Tasha did their rounds, but each knocked down at least one jump. Then Tiffany, a clear round, Helene on Dot's horse, another, and Gloria on Madigan, three more clear rounds. They were doing very well, and Carol crossed her fingers there would be no disasters. Surely it was too good to last. Marietta on Annie Oakley, but she knocked over jumps, and was out of the competition, and so were Margaret and Deirdre, but they came out of the ring beaming, all the same. Their horses had done well. They had done well.

In the end of the first round, Tiffany, Gloria, Thierry, and Helene had jumped clear, and were among the eighteen left in the competition. The jumpoff would be after lunch. The ones going clear a second time would jump off against the clock, but none of them had any intention of trying to hurry, if that happened. They didn't have the experience.

Gloria and Carol went into consultation. The horses out of the jumping were now available for use in other classes. Carol raised her voice. "Kendrick, Connor, Annie Oakley, Janda and Jezebel available if anyone wants, and there's a show class for horses 15hh and over starting shortly."

Two women raised their hands. Carol said, "Get dressed then, Treen, just as quick as you can. Spare clothes in the dressing room. How about you have Connor in the show class, and Rosnita can have Kendrick. Just follow Maharni, and do what she does." Carol was pleased. Treen hadn't wanted to compete, but would now have a good chance. Clarence energetically rubbed the saddle sweat off Connor, while Didi tackled Kendrick. Brigitta swung up on Dragon Breath, and cantered to the steward's tent to make the last minute entries.

When the competitors in that event came back, Nigretta wore another ribbon, but it was Treen who looked happiest. She hadn't won any sort of award, but she hadn't disgraced herself. She was returning Connor, but Carol noticed the youth who hovered close, and said calmly that Connor wasn't wanted any more that day. He'd done enough. She could ride him around gently, though, if she wanted.

Treen smiled brilliantly, and rejoined her new acquaintance, who looked smitten.

There was a break in activities, and Valencio took the opportunity to go to the toilet. He took not the slightest notice of the man next to him. It was only wizards who wanted him for sex. It was an unpleasant surprise when an arm went around his shoulders, and an insinuating voice said, "You should be a film star. I could make you a star in my next movie."

Valencio flinched away from him and took a step back, scarcely believing the unexpected approach.

The man laughed gently, and said, "Don't pretend you don't know what I want. With looks like yours, I'm quite sure you've had it before."

Slowly, still reluctant to believe the approach, Valencio shook his head, and then abruptly snapped, "Leave me alone. I have no interest in sex with men, or in being in films."

Unwisely, the man persisted, putting a hand out to fondle. Valencio punched, and he ducked, ready for it, knowing he risked aggressive action from any stranger he approached. But this one? It couldn't possibly be the first time he'd been approached. He was obviously made for it, and must have had approaches most of his life, probably since his teens. Even now, he said, but warily, "I'm a very gentle lover, and I'll pay very well."

Valencio was fierce, "Get away from me or I'll beat you to a pulp."

The man cautiously backed away, and said, one last time, "I could make you a film star." Valencio took a rapid step towards him, and the man turned and hurried away.

Valencio leaned against the wall. Of course he should have known. It wasn't just wizards. There was another man came in, and looked at him, at first curiously, and then with something else in his eyes. Valencio hurried out the door.

The girls were passing, and Inge laughed, "I bet I know why you're running!"

Valencio concealed his very real upset, and said, "Next time, I'll take Jimmy as a chaperone."

The girls thought it a huge joke, and shared it. There was heartless laughter, except from Jimmy. "Did you knock him down?"

Valencio was feeling better now. It couldn't be serious when everyone thought it a joke. He said casually, "He ducked, and decided I would not, after all, make a good film star."

But Tasha was thoughtful. Actors were very well paid. She was accustomed to the looks of her husband, but he really was something special. And he could act, she knew that!

There was still a lot of activity, with riders and horses coming and going, but Carol seemed to know exactly who needed to be doing what at any given moment, and they worked together smoothly, cheering successful competitors, but also congratulating the unsuccessful ones. They were competing in a public event. They were doing well. The second round of the show jumping proceeded, and both Thierry and Gloria managed second clear rounds, though Tiffany and Helene were eliminated.

Gloria smiled at Thierry, and said, "We're doing very well."

Thierry said, "The next one's the last."

"Against the clock, and neither of us are to make any effort to hurry."

Thierry nodded, nervous.

Carol found Valencio tending to Janda, and said, "Gloria will be jumping on Madigan, at almost the same time you need to have him in the Grand Parade. You have to be ready in good time. Jimmy and Didi have been assigned to organise you."

Valencio nodded, and turned back to Janda, who was enjoying the attention.

When it was time, Valencio again attired himself in the billowing pantaloons, neither himself nor the women worrying about the shared changing facilities. They still had to remind themselves that casual nudity was not generally accepted. The other fancy dress competitors were matched to their horses, and mounted, but Valencio was escorted by Didi and Jimmy to the collecting ring, where he waited for Gloria, and drew all eyes, beginning to feel uncomfortable.

It was better when Madigan was brought over, efficiently unsaddled and rubbed down, his bridle replaced by one gorgeously decorated, and Jimmy said quickly, "I'll give you a boost."

Obediently, Valencio went to the side of the big horse, and Jimmy boosted him into the saddle, and took his left shoe, while Didi pulled off the other.

Madigan snorted and pawed the ground. So many people were looking, and he was beginning to get back into the spirit of the thing. The scimitar was handed up, and Valencio adjusted it to his comfort. "I thought that was a fake, earlier," said the steward. And he added, "Better watch yourself. A weapon like that is illegal."

Valencio paused, and then assured him, "It's pretend. It'd break if I tried to use it." It had never occurred to any of them that a very long, very sharp knife might be illegal.

Jimmy said, "This way, quickly. They're already gathered." Madigan looked towards the ring, where he wanted to show off, but Jimmy pulled at his bridle, and he consented to do as he was told.

The show champions were already entering the ring by the time Valencio took his place with the 'Arabs.'

Tasha pointed to some beautifully groomed horses with attendants standing next to them. "They're Pickering Andalusians, like Reya and Nigretta. Paul Pickering's the one who looks after John's stud, as well."

They were not the only ones parading, Thierry on Kennedy were among several other show-jumpers, all those left in the competition. All three girls were parading, as each of them had done well, and the bridles of their horses were colourfully decorated with rosettes. There were a few show prizes, and a few in other events.

All the others watched from ringside, proud and pleased. Their 'graduation,' and it was time to go onto other things. Gary McGregor, still keen on Mary, and Cam McGonnigal were left to guard the horse box area, and talk about beautiful women with a mysterious past.

Madigan didn't know about any 'graduation,' he just knew that he adored cheering crowds. His neck arched, and he stepped very high, prancing again. The grandstand was best, and he was sure the cheers were just for him. He was almost doing a dressage trot, although at walking pace. They were only supposed to be walking.

Valencio was relieved that he appeared to be accepting instructions, staying in place with the dozen or so Arabs. Tasha watched Valencio in amusement, knowing just who was in control in that particular partnership of horse and rider. It was proven as the parade started to file out of the ring, where Jimmy waited to grab the horse for re-saddling and return to Gloria for the final jumpoff. Each time, Madigan swung away, and then pranced back, elevating himself higher than ever, back past the main grandstand.

The crowds cheered the horse again, as Valencio pulled at a rein. Madigan allowed his head to be pulled around, but otherwise took not the slightest notice. "Madigan," Valencio pleaded, "We're supposed to go out, now."

A nearby steward laughed, and himself tried to take the rein, but Madigan turned his back, reared, but only a little, and then whinnied loudly. An imperative whistle was heard, and Madigan stopped dead, stamping his hoof, but then cantered gently out of the ring, still taking care not to dislodge his passenger.

Laughter and more cheering followed him out. Madigan had ensured maximum exposure for both himself, and his hapless rider. Bellamy told the horse, "You can show off again if you're among the places in the show jumping. Behave!"

Madigan snorted, as Valencio slipped off, landing in some horse dung in his bare feet, and swearing.

The loudspeaker was already announcing that the next rider was Gloria McKay on Madigan when she cantered into the collecting ring, and was waved to begin. The steward reminded her again which jumps she had to take in what order. "Against the clock."

She nodded, took a deep breath, and cantered Madigan into the arena. The intelligent horse pricked his ears. It was his other job now, and when Gloria headed him towards a high brush fence, he placed himself carefully, and soared over. He was going quite fast, although Gloria wasn't urging him.

A friend of Oliver's had gone clear, Steve, who owned Storm, and was on another of Bellamy's horses. He waited for Gloria's time. A second faster than his own. Three more horses, two of them clear, but with slower times, then Thierry, on Kennedy. Thierry intended to do as instructed, not to worry about time, only concentrate on not hitting any jumps. Maybe someone should have told Kennedy. He knew about these events. When there were only a few left, you had to go fast. Thierry managed to guide him, but nothing else.

He was still slower than both Madigan, and Steve's horse. They had a greater scope, gaining seconds on each jump. But at the finish, it was Gloria first, and to her amazed surprise, Thierry, third on No. 23, the horse who once thought everyone was his enemy.

Most of the Loch Lomand women watched, though some were still involved with other events. Valencio watched with great interest. Thierry, who was always frightened, ever since Chung Quoc, and now she'd ridden third in the show jumping, at quite a large horse show, and on the horse that Bellamy had said was still too risky to ride at a show.

Gloria, as winner, led the lap of honour, the ones who'd achieved second, third and fourth, followed. It was supposed to be a single lap of honour, but Madigan ignored instructions to leave the ring, and continued his happy rollicking canter, long mane flowing.

The other riders looked after his rider, questioningly, but did as the laughing steward directed, tamely leaving the ring, as the triumphant horse collected more cheers for himself. Even the commentator on the loudspeaker was laughing. "The same horse who liked being in the Fancy Dress. Madigan, who likes to be cheered." There were more cheers then, and again, the horse was perfectly obviously ignoring his rider, even starting on a third lap of the ring before Bellamy whistled. He propped abruptly to a halt, nearly throwing Gloria, and making her drop the silver cup, before walking sedately to leave the ring.

The show jumpers were surrounded with congratulations and admiration, and their horses fussed over. Valencio was called to order, and had to help ready Russki, Honey and Bandit for the Tessa Lee Class, best horse and rider team, young horse. Tasha and Margaret were already preparing, but Adolfina had forgotten she wasn't finished, and was enjoying a leisurely coffee. Valencio asked Carol if he was needed for a few minutes, as he wanted to watch Tasha.

Carol replied, "Go ahead. There's plenty of helpers now, and less of a rush."

These were three of the young, unbroken horses bought in February, each of them ridden by their owner. There were only seven horses in the class. Margaret was the one most naturally athletic, and Russki was the most obedient. Margaret wound up with first, and beamed, as the rosette was handed to her. Tasha was third, and she, too, beamed. Honey had gone so well!

Adolfina patted Bandit, and suggested, "Next time, don't shy away from the judge."

Valencio walked back with them, walking next to Bandit, who was nervous and jumpy. Adolfina was grateful. One of the other competitors in that class was being swiftly trotted away in a direction he obviously didn't want to go.

"Madigan was funny," she commented.

Valencio said, "At least your horse _pretends_ to take notice of you."

Adolfina smiled at him, and said, "I'll be doing the bridging course next year, and then I'm going to study to be a vet. I used to want to be a doctor, but knowing what a healer can do... It would seem just so inefficient!"

"So how many are down for the bridging course?"

"Twenty plus, I'm not quite sure, but someone will need to drive the bus in each day, or we'll be hogging the cars."

"Well, I'm allowed to drive the small bus, but not the big bus yet. Not even the twenty-seater."

"Are you going to do the course?"

"I don't think so. There's too much to do at home without full-time education."

"I'm finished now," said Tasha, as they re-entered what had become their territory. Valencio kissed her, and suggested the competitors help themselves to something to eat, and he'd look after the horses.

"They're finished for the day," Adolfina confirmed, and Valencio nodded, and turned to unsaddling, and replacing bridles with halters.

The auror that Gloria fancied, was standing with a man hung with cameras. He called, "Vince!" and Valencio looked up curiously, then strolled over.

"Photographs," the short man said enthusiastically. "For magazines, newspapers, maybe even posters. You, the Spanish Senorita, all of you."

Valencio glanced at the women. No-one would want that. He certainly didn't. He casually shook his head, and went to move away. The man said quickly that they'd be paid, of course. It was no secret that money was limited, and Valencio hesitated, and called Carol. There was an urgent conference, Carol with a few of the Committee.

The result was that a figure was agreed upon, after some bargaining, and the Fancy Dress riders went again to change. Jimmy glanced at Damien Wright, the photographer, and decided to stay close to Valencio. But Valencio wasn't accustomed to those obviously homosexual, and as Damien took no interest in him except as a subject, he only thought the fussy habits of Wright, a normal variation among men.

It took two hours, as Damien took picture after picture, waxing enthusiastic. Madigan seemed to know exactly what was happening, and was happy to pose. Again and again, Damien called, "Now, Vince. Big smile." And then he said, "Off the horse, try and look dangerous, and hold your cutlass."

He was delighted when Valencio did exactly as he said, suddenly looking very dangerous indeed, holding the scimitar, that had not only been polished, but sharpened. Valencio could not conceive of having a blunt knife if he had the choice, and almost automatically, he held the scimitar at a very businesslike angle.

It wasn't only Valencio, but each one of them, brought enthusiasm from Damien Wright. Horses were rubbed down, and luggage packed away around them. Damien was too much engrossed to notice when an impossible number of chairs and tables vanished into a horse box. Bellamy was careful. It was not prudent for him to be photographed.

Damien finally seemed to have nearly all the pictures he wanted, but was still reluctant to let them go. He kept coming back to Hilde, raving over her. He had her on Madigan, and then just standing, fretting that the background wasn't right. "You're so lovely," he kept saying. "Such a depth of wisdom, such sadness, and so lovely."

Hilde glanced at Carol, and Carol shrugged. It was money, and she was very reluctant to ask Dot for any more money than they were already being given. But expenses were so high these days.

The show-ground was almost empty, and most of the horses were loaded, when Damien asked Carol for an address. "I want Hilde again, but I have to think very carefully. And maybe the young man as well, but not the horses."

Carol accepted his cheque, and provided their postal address. Damien beamed at them, thanked them profusely, and hurried away. The deadline for a particular horse magazine was in just three days. That would be first. And Hilde... Damien Wright was a freelance, who supplied photographs for magazines and newspapers, but also he was an artist. He thought his pictures of Hilde could be the basis of an exhibition. Smiling eyes that showed such a sadness. But what should be the setting?

All the work seemed to be done, except that the last six horses were still standing around patiently, and six were still dressed up.

"The dressing room's gone," said Carol.

Amreeta suggested they simply change behind a group of people, and it was quickly accomplished. Valencio glanced in the direction of the toilet, and decided to wait. Jimmy said, "Can we wait long enough for me to go to the toilet?"

Valencio sighed with relief, and accompanied him. Life as a free man had unexpected hazards.

He looked in surprise when the bodyguard that Gloria had taken a cake to, boarded the small bus with Gloria, but laughed. If Gloria really wanted a wizard, it didn't look as if she planned to waste much time! He looked around, and started up the bus, taking up his place in the convoy.

Inge was giggling, and remarked to Evita, "Did you see Ivor? Caught a glimpse of Tasha when she was changing, and nearly fell over."

"Ivor?"

"The other bodyguard. His name's Ivor."

Tasha remarked, "I should have been more careful. We could be targets, after all."

The conversation turned to speculation about the tendency of men to make nuisances of themselves. "Poor Valencio," giggled Inge. "Scuttling out of the toilets like the devil was on his heels."

Valencio protested, "I did not _scuttle!"_

Jeremy spoke casually. "You men know to take care if you go into Gay Bars, don't you?"

Valencio asked, "What's a Gay Bar?" And Jeremy had to explain, first, that 'gay' didn't mean happy or merry, but something else entirely, and secondly, that it had become a culture. "Not amongst wizards, of course," he added. "Very, very rare amongst wizards, almost unknown."

Bellamy spoke as casually as Jeremy had. "I was in a Gay Bar, once. I was a bit upset about something, and was drinking heavily. It was about the third pub I went to. Anyway, I was just sitting at a table, knocked back a proposition, and then the next drink I bought was drugged. Luckily, even drunk, I could tell, so I poured it over the head of the man who arranged it, and offered to fight him for it instead. He declined so I gave him an acute belly ache."

They laughed, but he added, casually, "It's something to be aware of, men and women both. Drinks can be drugged, and sometimes it's the bar tender that does it."

The following conversation was of self-defence measures.

They were in convoy, quite a large convoy, but finally arrived. They were nearly all tired. Not only the work, but the nerves and the excitement. The triumphs, whether there was any award involved, or not.

Carol raised her voice. "Anyone totally exhausted can go inside, also Bernice and the ones on kitchen duty, everyone else settle the horses, but don't worry about unpacking. We'll do that in the morning."

They were all tired, but only a few of them thought themselves 'totally exhausted.' Valencio had energy to spare, and sent most of the older ones away. Mary had almost been stumbling in her fatigue, and Kaede and Kwai-Jeeha were both over sixty. He was unloading horses in the dark, and put out some extra feed for them. They'd done so well.

Bellamy fussed over horses as well, and Valencio gradually became aware of his tension. He kept looking at the castle, and he had a trembling attack, and another not long later. Valencio looked questioningly at the castle, as well, but then went to some of the ponies, patiently waiting to be unloaded. The saddles, too, should preferably be put on the saddle racks, rather than lie around until morning, casually stacked. There would be a lot of cleaning needed the following day.

He gave Honey a special hug. She'd been so good. He glanced again at Bellamy, who was now fussing over Revenge and Jack, the foal. He wasn't in a hurry, it seemed, except that he was still looking almost apprehensively at the castle from time to time.

Tasha came back, "Surely you're finished now, love."

Valencio nodded. "Just a couple more saddles to put away. There's an absolute tangle of bridles, but they can wait until morning."

Tasha whispered, "Zhor Khatabi is here, and I think she might be in love with John."

Valencio stared at the castle. Zhor Khatabi! He asked, "How were the cats, and Shona?"

"Pleased to see us, but Craig says they were alright."

Craig had been pet-sitting, not only for Tasha and Valencio's pets, but all of them.

"Is he still here?"

"His father took him home."

Valencio carried one last saddle, checked the name of the horse marked on the pommel, and put it in its marked place. Ruby, who'd carried Mary beautifully, but the prize had gone to a better looking pony.

Tasha crowed, "You had a second, and I had two seconds and a third. I feel over the moon."

Zhor Khatabi was in the castle. Valencio said, "We could just eat in our own little kitchen, if we wanted."

"Don't be silly. About all we've got is bread and jam!" But they had a shower and changed before they went to the dining room.

Bernice looked very weary, but there was a dinner set out, cafeteria style, as she mostly did, practical for large numbers.

Inge said, giggling, the moment they entered, "He calls her Zoe, and they vanished into her bedroom and haven't come out."

Carol said, "There's a function in Denmark, and she told me she wanted him to go with her, but it was to be a surprise."

"He was trembling all the time!"

Clarence commented, "I'd tremble too if Madam Zhor wanted me!"

Valencio said quietly to Tasha, "Did you ever see Riza? She looks just like Riza."

"I'm surprised you never attacked Riza."

"I never had the chance."

Bellamy and Zhor made their appearance just as Valencio and Tiffany left, looked around, and went into the kitchen. The dinner was already put away, Bernice only wanting to go to bed. Valencio hesitated, but Tasha said, "I have no doubt that Bernice will feed them."

He nodded, and followed her lead. Belinda was at the piano in the ballroom, looking as if she was not quite there, as she often did, but playing as well as she ever had.

"I thought she would have been too tired," remarked Tasha.

"Belinda lets things flow over her. She knows how to handle life."

"Will she leave here, do you think?"

"Maybe not. She's happy right where she is."

Gloria came in, holding up a large silver cup. "Me and that mad horse of John's! Fancy that, eh!"

Maharni had a cup, as well, 'Best Ridden Horse.' "Nigretta, and she'll have to go back in the spring, to be mated. Such a wonderful horse."

"I wonder if John will let her come back here to have her foal."

"She belongs to Paul Pickering, remember. I doubt if he'll risk that."

Bellamy and Zoe entered, and sat together on a couch. They had a glow together, which made some smile, and some resentful. Was Zhor Khatabi going to take away their John? They'd already lost too much to the Khatabi family.

Valencio murmured to Tasha, who was scowling, "She was the first to want to free us, remember, even if she couldn't manage it without him."

Tasha nodded, "I guess," and turned to Tiffany who had forgotten the horse show, and only wanted to talk about her wedding next Saturday.

"I can't give him children," she mentioned, "And his first wife couldn't either, but he says he never wanted children."

"Are you having a honeymoon?"

"He wants to meet my parents, so we go to America, just a beach resort first, and we'll organise maybe a dinner out or something."

"How is it with them now?"

"Fine when I only write. But if it wasn't for me, my sister would still be alive."

"They can't blame you."

"John told me just to accept that emotions are not always logical. I have lost my parents, but I have Cam, and I have my life back. I'm a lucky woman."

Jeremy phoned the auror department, advised that he was off duty, but close to Bellamy if needed, and then joined Gloria in her bedroom. He was looking a bit dazed in the morning, and Gloria achieved her invitation to a large party, where she could cast her eye over an assortment of wizards, preferably rich. She should not settle for the first one interested. On the other hand, Jeremy was tall and lean and muscular, and walked like a panther.

_xchapter endx_


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 22_:

Bellamy and Zhor were at breakfast, both looking blissfully happy, and very much aware of each other. The women were more indulgent now. It was good to see John so happy. The pair were to leave after lunch, apparating to Denmark. They had to get dressed first, and the word went around, "She disapproves that his hair is short, and he has to dress up, because it's formal."

"Japan. Japan is to be accepted into the AOCWN."

"The same as Morocco. No picking on ordinary people, and no fighting just because each family wants to be feared most."

"It was good, that part - when the bastards killed each other off!"

Connie and Mary had promised to show John the Pamela Track again, now it was completed. But not Zhor. No Khatabi, ever, on the Pamela Track.

The word went around, that Bellamy would come outside, just before he left, in case he wasn't around for a while. Only Gloria didn't get the message, very much involved with Jeremy, in her room.

But when the time came, after lunch, it was no longer their John. He wore a green and grey outfit, the bodice of the long dress part elaborately embroidered, floor length, as was standard. Over it was the cape, the shoulders heavily embroidered, flared steeply upwards at the ends, the sleeves beginning from below. The material was rich, the emeralds real. Zhor, too, was richly dressed. She was leader of the powerful Khatabi Family, who now controlled the Anirage of both Morocco and Japan. Their rich dress reflected that status.

It was supposed to have been to say goodbye, but this wizard in the robes of a Khatabi Elder was not their John. Even Jeremy, just emerged from Gloria's room, saw the foreign cut of his clothes, and didn't like it. The great wizard was theirs. Who was Zhor Khatabi to take him away?

Valencio backed off. There had been too many Khatabi for him, usually dressed in those same elaborate robes. Adil, Hicham, Narzu-Han - they'd always worn rich robes. Brahim, Yiko. The most powerful. The Khatabi Elders. They'd all used him. Now it was as if John, with the change from casual medj clothing, had thrown off his disguise, and revealed himself for what he was, a wizard more powerful and dangerous than any other.

Emma, close to him, said softly, "He's not really a bloody wizard, just because he's dressed like a Khatabi. He's still our John, who gets into fights, falls off roofs, and turns red when we embarrass him."

Valencio's voice was unsteady. "I just don't want him near me. Not looking like that." He was a wizard. How had he forgotten that?

His reaction was not shared by the others, and after the first hesitation, Bellamy was surrounded by women, admiringly touching the embroidered designs on bodice and shoulders, kissing, saying goodbye.

Valencio and Emma retreated further. Valencio still watched him, although Emma only looked at Valencio's face, worried about her friend, whose hand she held. Bellamy gave them a searching look, and raised a hand to them. After a discernible pause, Valencio raised his.

Emma said, "Cam's driving in."

Bellamy and Zhor made an identical gesture, a quick check to be sure their wands were in their wand pockets, Bellamy extended an arm, Zoe came underneath, and they were gone. "They're gone," he said. He sighed, and smiled at Emma, "I've been cleaning tack all morning, but I'm finished now. I might go and see Joe Corbett. I want him to tell me which areas we can cut for hay. You can come if you want."

Emma hesitated. But they'd graduated now. It was time to face the world. She smiled. "I'd like that."

"As soon as possible," Joe suggested. "If the cold weather arrives too soon, it will not be nearly as good." And while Anne Corbett talked to Emma about the painting course she would be starting soon, he made some phone calls, and finally said, "Alec Payne. He's charging you a hire fee, but it's less than normal, and he'll deliver it late Tuesday, if possible, the moment he finishes his own harvesting."

Valencio was enthusiastic, and Joe smiled on him, accompanied him back to Loch Lomand, and pointed out that he'd have to limit his cutting to areas not too steep. "I told Alec you were a good driver, so don't wreck his harvester!"

Valencio said gratefully, "Thanks, Joe."

Joe said to Emma, "Anne mentioned you rode in the horse show as well."

Emma nodded, "I rode Wentworth, one of the horses John bought for us in February."

Joe smiled at her gently, "Do you and Vince want to show me the horses?"

Emma looked briefly panicky, and Valencio answered for her. Joe was admiring, and Emma began to lose her shyness, as she pointed out Gus, who'd won several ribbons for Inge, and Nigretta, who won a championship in the showing. "There's foals, too," and Valencio noticed Joe surreptitiously check his watch.

Emma noticed no indication of boredom, and when he finally took his leave, remarked, "It's almost the first time I've spoken to a strange man like that."

"Joe's a good bloke."

Wednesday, Valencio climbed into the seat of the harvester, and started experimenting with the controls. By Thursday, he claimed it was easy, and cut grass lay in mostly neat rows across a large paddock.

He left it when a horse-box drove in. It was Dot and Victor, with three new horses for Loch Lomand.

Victor said, "Anglo-Arabs, quiet to ride, and good quality. Not on loan. They belong to Loch Lomand."

Gloria was thrilled, and made a fuss of the new horses. Valencio also made friends with them, and commented, "They're tall enough for me if I want to have a gallop."

Victor glanced at him, "Easily up to your weight."

Valencio stroked a large bay horse, thoughtfully. Easily up to his weight. The horse moved over casually, and trod on his toe, so that he swore, and tapped him sharply on the leg, to make him move. The halter had the horse's name on the browband, 'Caesar.' There were no saddles and bridles. That would be an expense. The horse snorted, and pawed at the ground.

Valencio said, "Caesar? Do you reckon you might like to be my horse?"

Caesar had his head high, and whinnied shrilly. Answers came from the other paddocks.

Valencio shrugged, "Come on, then," and he followed Gloria's lead, putting him in a small paddock with the other two new horses. A secret was shared that evening. Patrick was to go to Tiffany - a wedding present.

Wedding preparations were in hand. Cramsie wanted a religious wedding, and Tiffany had agreed, but it would be either outside, or if it rained, in the ballroom. Bernice would cater, others would decorate. Tiffany was the first to leave, and would have the best they could contrive.

xdividerx

Just two weeks later, baled hay lay everywhere, waiting for collection. Valencio had cut grass wherever he could - only the occupied horse paddocks had been spared. Horse feed was expensive, and the more of their own they could provide, the better.

Mealtimes now seemed a touch forlorn, with Tiffany gone for good, and an additional fourteen women spending time with their families. It was the beginning. They would soon start to disperse.

Others of the women were trying to study, preparing themselves for a gruelling year doing the bridging course, and the three girls, highschool. There was a school uniform for the girls, but they looked at themselves when they tried them, and shook their heads, giggling. After what they'd been through, and now they were school girls again!

The problem of a bus driver was solved, without using Jimmy, who'd seemed to be the only legal option. Instead, Veronica produced a record of a five year driving license she'd obtained just before she lost her freedom. She put in three weeks hard work, and with five years theoretical experience, the local policeman didn't dispute when she applied for a Heavy Vehicle driving license. It meant she could drive the big bus, and could take herself and Angini, Sheila and Maliwan, to work, and the others to school every day.

The only drawback was that school hours were shorter than work hours, but maybe they could do some of their homework in the library or something while they waited. Once November came, more would be able to qualify for a Heavy Vehicle license, with the required twelve months' driving experience under their belt.

xdividerx

The hay had to be brought in next, and Valencio and Jimmy undertook to help Joe Corbett bring in his hay, in return for the promise of the loan of his truck and haybale loader, though it would not be available for a few weeks. Joe commented, in a tea break, "I saw your picture was in a magazine, Vince."

Valencio nodded. "Me and the others. Horse and Rider magazine. We were paid for it, so we could hire the harvester."

"That one with the cutlass. You looked positively murderous!"

Valencio chuckled, "I haven't killed anyone in years."

Joe gave him a doubtful look, hoping he was only joking.

Valencio said, "Tasha. Did you see Tasha? The Arab?"

Joe agreed that he'd seen Tasha, and said, "The Spanish Senorita. She was lovely."

"Maharni. She took first in the showing, Best Ridden Horse, and first in the Fancy Dress. She was thrilled with herself."

Jimmy said, "The photographer fell in love with Hilde. Raved over her, and there's been another session. Another with Valencio, as well, but I stayed with him. I felt he needed a chaperone."

Valencio said, "I don't know why. He looked harmless."

"He was harmless, but I didn't want you hitting him if he made a pass." He explained to Joe, "Flagrant homosexual, but Vince has never met anyone like that, and didn't pick it."

Joe looked surprised at Valencio. So maybe he'd been just a servant, after all?

Valencio said, "I thought he was just like an artist. A really nice bloke. I've met men like that, but I never knew it meant anything."

"Most obvious homosexuals are really nice blokes," said Jimmy. "They get picked on a bit, but they're hardly ever predators. It's the ones you don't pick, are sometimes predators, or so I've heard."

Joe said, "Not that there's any around here. Maybe in the cities."

Valencio said, with an air of contentment, "It's a great place, around here," and when he started heaving around bales of hay again, he seemed to have sufficient spare breath to whistle, even if a bit breathy now and then.

They didn't know Bellamy was back, and married to both Zhor and Najia Khatabi, until they appeared late for dinner, and found Zhor and Najia at dinner, though Bellamy was gone, "Confessing to his daughters he's not only married, but with two brides!" Tasha told him, laughing.

Connie said, "He claims that it's legal under wizarding law, because he was married in Morocco, where it's legal, and British wizardry just has to accept it!"

"Not legal under medj law, surely!"

"He did look a little sheepish when he was asked that!"

The young ones all seemed to have congregated around Zhor and Najia, although they were avoided by most of the older ones. Gloria was the worst, taking her plate, and joining Jimmy and Valencio. She grumbled, "Bloody Khatabi witch! She inflicted me with elephant skin once, and then didn't know how to undo it, and Haru couldn't. I thought I'd be like that, forever!"

Jimmy asked, "So what happened?"

"It was fixed eventually, but about the seventeenth try."

"Do you think John would ever do anything like that?"

Valencio said, "Probably, and worse. He's a wizard."

Connie said indignantly, "John wouldn't do something like that."

Jimmy glared at Valencio, and said, "He's a good man!"

Valencio stuck to his guns, "He may be a good man, but he's a wizard, and they have different standards. Narzu-Han one time, showed me what he'd done to Chung Quoc once. He thought I'd be pleased, but it was awful!"

Jimmy said, very coldly, "You can't compare John to any Khatabi."

"He's married into the Khatabi family. He's more like them than he is like us!"

Gloria was the only one not furious with him. She smiled at him, and asked, "Tried Caesar yet?"

"I haven't had time. And I'm not set on him, if anyone else wants him."

"Well, we still can't really have horses of our own, but maybe they'll be easier to allot shortly, when some go, and others are at school or work every day."

Tasha said, "It's a bit sad, in a way. Already, Tiffany's gone, and soon they'll be others."

Valencio asked, "Tasha? Would you like to watch a film this evening?"

Tasha glanced at where Najia and Zhor sat, now being quizzed about what was happening in Morocco, and then back at her husband. She smiled, and said that of course she would.

Valencio was relieved. He didn't like Tasha being cross with him.

Connie asked, "What are you watching?"

"Farfalla chose it. It's an adventure story, set in ancient times."

"I might join you then. I'm on clean-up duty first, though."

"How long?"

"About three-quarters of an hour."

"We'll wait for you." Tasha said, "I'll see you there a little later." She wanted to know what Zhor and Najia were talking about.

Valencio went to talk to the new horses. Caesar was the biggest, but the two mares were more affectionate.

He strolled on. The foals were growing up, and he clipped a rope to their halters, one by one, and led them about a bit in the deepening twilight, as he'd seen John do. Best if they were quiet to lead. Tericai, one was called, from the half a name, Teric..., that Clarence had found written on the underside of a table. The other was Sonata, named after the woman who'd mangled a Khatabi penis so badly they never tried to demand that particular pleasure again.

When Valencio met Tasha, Connie and a few others in the small theatre, they were full of the news gleaned from the Khatabi witches.

"Botan's dead, killed when he tried to revolt against the new laws. Abensur was put in charge of the sheep and goats that are used these days to practise spells on, but nothing painful or lethal. The women are practising Defence Spells now, as there's too few Fighters left. One of them even has the green stripe, but it's a different colour green, as the training's different. They practise speed, but don't learn the serious curses. The men are apt to sneer, Madam Zhor says."

"Abensur. Najia said he had the animals loving him, fat and tame, but now he's Head of Wizardry in Japan."

Thierry said, "Rotan lost his leg in some fighting, and now he's a gardener, and so is Hicham, and he's quite happy. Married, and doing something he enjoys."

Valencio laughed, "Hicham! The great and powerful Khatabi Fighter! A gardener!" They all laughed about that.

Thierry said, quietly, "Remember Emma speaking about Larbi? Madam Zhor said she executed him."

There was a silence, and then Valencio observed, "She's a formidable woman. It's a good thing she left the family for a while, and had other influences. She would have been as bad as Riza, I think."

But then he put on the chosen film, and sat next to Tasha, taking her hand. He didn't want to think about Khatabis. Tasha remarked, "John came back, and they all left together, so presumably he's confessed to his daughters that he's been a bit busy." Valencio smiled, and relaxed. John was good luck, and a good man. He was welcome to stay away.

A couple of days later, the Aniragi News went the rounds. It was headlines, and there was a large photo, Bellamy looking thoroughly pleased with himself, an arm around a wife on each side. There was a lot of comment. One writer said it was legal. Another implied that respectable people had been deliberately tricked, that it was only legal in name, another that the relevant law must be rescinded without delay, and finally, a woman writer said how lovely it was to see their great wizard looking happy, and that maybe they could expect him to start socializing again.

Gloria pointed to a figure in the background, "Jeremy. I went to a party with him, but it was awful. They all stared at me, and some put on a false kindness, and asked me condescendingly whether I'd recovered from the past, and another asked me if we were really just women for Bellamy to play with." She shook her head. "I've given up the idea of marrying a wizard. I might just have a series of lovers. Much more convenient."

They didn't see Bellamy again for a few days. It was the middle of August, and many of the women were trying to prepare for school, starting in less than two weeks. Tasha was doing a lot of reading in preparation for the bridging course, trying to remedy the holes in her education. Books of recent history were very much in demand, and Carol ordered a lot more, from Bellamy's second daughter, who'd left school the previous year, and had a bookshop. She provided them at cost, or quite often, free.

With the latest order, there arrived additional ones, not ordered, children's books by Henry Bellamy - a set of six books, each one about a different animal, one about mermaids, and half a dozen copies of a book about wild horses. It had a picture of a mare and foal on the cover. Dot had happened to mention to Lesley that their single copy of that book was nearly falling to pieces.

Several other books about horses, new and glossy hardcovers. Lesley Bellamy was beginning to make good money with her bookshop, and there was no account arrived for the latest order. She'd put in catalogues as well, to make it easier for them to order books. There were a lot of people interested in the welfare of the refugees, more than they knew.

Valencio very much wanted to start getting in the hay, but Joe's truck and bale loader were not yet available. He could drag hay bales, but managed only to clear an area close to the hayshed. Clarence started to help, but soon wearily stated that they'd best just wait for Joe. Clarence was not a strongly built man, and Valencio nodded, and said, "I've been meaning to try seriously riding. Maybe I'll do that instead for a couple of days."

Gloria was happy to take Valencio out. Valencio had Caesar, now provided with new saddle, bridle, saddle blanket, all with the horse's name on them, as they always did. They were sewn on this time, rather than printed on with magic, as even Melanie only came sometimes, now employed as Victor's helper, at Bellamy's place.

Valencio had a natural balance, and Gloria chose to take him fast, though he gasped that she should know he couldn't ride yet. Gloria gave a mocking laugh, and Caesar ignored requests to go slower, and kept up. Gloria had a theory that if Valencio didn't find the experience exciting, he wouldn't bother pursuing it. Quite suddenly, it seemed that Valencio found the knack, and laughed with the joy of it, leaning forward, so that Caesar flicked his ears back, and increased his speed. They arrived back at a full gallop, both with smiles all over their faces. The horses were hot, and Gloria said they had to walk them a while, before releasing them.

Valencio patted the horse, full of enthusiasm. "He's great, just great."

Gloria remarked, "I should choose one for my own special horse. John will want Madigan back one day."

Valencio was whistling when he went to lunch, finding Shona already obediently among the other dogs, just outside the dining room, waiting for their owners to finish lunch. The girls were together, as they usually were.

Inge couldn't wait. "We found you on the internet, Valencio. Under your real name, of course. Did you know that there's still a reward for information leading to your recovery?"

Valencio frowned, "I'm Vince McDonald now. I have no interest in what's on the internet!"

Evita asked, "Did you know you won an Academy Award for Summer in Rome?"

Valencio replied tersely, "I knew. I don't care."

Evita asked, disappointed, "Do you really have no curiosity about what they say about you? Fan clubs, even."

Valencio said abruptly, "No! Just as long as I'm not recognised, they can say what they like!" The girls were finally quiet, though Valencio still glowered, finishing his meal quickly and returning his plate to where those on duty would clean up.

Only when he'd gone, did they start talking about him. Evita: "Will he remain unrecognised, do you think?"

Inge shook her head. "He looks different, of course, now he's a man. But I think if anyone knows the films, there's a good chance he'll be recognised."

"He'll hate that!"

"We shouldn't have spoken about it. Jimmy told me that men say terrible things about what they call queers or fags. And while we know he's not really..."

Inge nodded slowly. "We'll have to remember that he was just a servant who married one of us."

"And call him Vince, not Valencio. Every time." They nodded.

Valencio was looking at the paddocks of baled hay again. If they got too wet, they might rot, Joe said. He was no longer whistling, worried and upset that Valencio Durano could be found on the internet. Surely no-one would recognise him. Lily had, but that was an exception - wasn't it?

He went to find Carol. He needed a small truck. He knew money was limited, but surely it could stretch to a small truck. It was essential for a dozen purposes, not just for bringing in the hay. But he found Carol deeply involved in a Committee Meeting. They were talking excitedly. He scowled, feeling thwarted. He'd best not interrupt, and strode off again.

So alright, he'd go out. He checked his own lists for availability of cars, and swore again. Only the big bus and the twenty-seater bus were available. What the hell? He grabbed a pair of swimmers and a towel, took the bus, and drove to the beach. It was hours before he decided that he was being silly. Thanks to the DMT, he had proof that he was Vince McDonald, and had nothing whatsoever in common with a poor lost boy of twelve.

Clem McGregor, Bogridge policeman, stopped him as he drove back. He was speeding, but not nearly as much as he'd been speeding on the way out. Clem looked at the boy who'd been kidnapped. Valencio Durano, who now called himself Vince McDonald. Clem gave him a stern lecture, chose to ignore the fact that he was driving a vehicle he was not supposed to be driving, and let him go. He was very sorry for Valencio. One day he'd be recognised by someone who didn't keep his mouth shut. And then he'd be either too obviously pitied, or condemned. It was through his brother, Gary, that he'd had the clue, when one of the women called him Valencio instead of Vince. Then it was just a matter of checking missing persons records. He didn't think of claiming the reward. Not only was he sorry for Valencio, but Daryl's crio-magic was having an effect.

Valencio was relieved not to be fined, and thought that the tactic of looking humbly at the ground worked rather better with policemen than it did with wizards. He knew how he could bring in the hay, as well. He'd use one of the horse boxes. He should have thought of it before. He was far more cheerful now, and went to dinner happily, though avoiding the girls, and choosing a seat near Tasha and Veronica.

There had already been a notice put up, but Carol stood and called for attention anyway. They would be accommodating twelve employees of the DMT for probably around a fortnight. They would be checking the castle very thoroughly for long-term safety, maybe making any needed modifications. Also, she wanted a full meeting, every single person, in the ballroom after dinner.

When Carol sat down, Veronica said, "I know what that's about. There's been an idea put forward that we take in paying guests, in order to bring in some money ourselves, without taking on outside work."

Valencio was surprised, "There's a lot still worried by strangers."

"Yes, but if we make ourselves self-supporting, they can stay here, and stop worrying about becoming independent."

Connie said, "Twelve Anirage. Soon. Where will we put them?"

"I assume it's been thought of."

Veronica nodded, "Carol thinks of everything."

The talk went on to Veronica's hairdressing business then. "Have you had to box anyone else's ears?"

Veronica blushed, "Not lately. And we're very busy. One of us takes appointments, and one does just any customer who turns up, like a traditional barber shop. But we want to start trying different things, and will need test customers."

Valencio promised, "Soon, but Hilde wants me to take her to Edinburgh for the photography exhibition. I can't be looking too much the goose, yet!"

Veronica said defensively, "Inge's pink hair was a mistake anyone could make. I just missed out a step, that's all."

Valencio grinned, "You can have me after Tuesday, then. I don't mind looking strange."

The meeting in the ballroom that night became an excited and enthusiastic discussion of the idea of having paying guests. They were all sure that Loch Lomand was the most beautiful place in the world, and it was not only the older ones who didn't want to leave, or not for a while. Plans were put forward, and it was decided that whether or not the paying guest idea was pursued, it was a good idea to concentrate the bedrooms of the residents in one corridor, and have all the guest bedrooms in the other.

Brigitta said, "I don't really need a separate bedroom in the castle. I was just being selfish. I'll move in with Jimmy properly, and that will free up a bedroom."

Jimmy beamed, and Carol said, "You and Jimmy can have one of the cottages then, if you want, once they're ready for occupation, and that will free up Jimmy's bedroom, as well."

Clarence, Valencio and Jimmy were in conference. "Garages," said Jimmy. "Guests will demand a place to garage their cars, especially in the winter."

Gloria was speaking eagerly to Eva. "We can plan rides. Not the Pamela Track, but maybe we can make just an ordinary track a bit like it, but incorporating the waterfall, the Deep Hole, and the Deer Forest."

Eva said, "And gallop home along the Ridge Road."

"There's the Perimeter Track, too." They smiled at each other, gleeful.

For an hour they talked, the talk becoming louder and ranging wide, brimming with plans. At last, Carol stood and waited. People nudged each other, and it became quiet.

Carol spoke seriously. "This is all very well. But John got us this place primarily so we could recover. If any one of us is frightened of having strangers here, they're to come to me, privately if they like, and tell me. If just one of us doesn't want it, we won't do it. Meantime, we'll rearrange the bedrooms because that's a good idea in any case. The men can fix up the workers' cottages, as soon as they finish getting in the hay, and I think we really do have to put up with the maintenance men."

The DMT workers didn't waste time, but arrived Monday, conferred with Carol, and started working on the castle. Bellamy also turned up, found Valencio and Jimmy loading hay bales into the back of a horse box, and offered help. Valencio said hopefully, "There's no strangers here, and I want it in before it rains."

"So I can use magic?"

"Definitely."

A large load gathered itself up, and started moving towards the hayshed. Valencio watched in approval, but said to Jimmy, "Can you start stacking in the hayshed? I want to talk to Carol about the cottages."

Jimmy nodded. Vince was still a bit wary of John, he suspected. He hadn't liked seeing him in those robes, and now saw him as threatening. Jimmy had never even seen any of the powerful Khatabis, but he knew from Helene that Valencio had had far too much to do with them.

Carol listened to Valencio, and then looked at the cottages for herself. Structural decay, Valencio thought. Not something easily fixed. But the wizards could, and then he and the other men could finish off. There were four cottages in addition to his own and Clarence's, though one had a wall fallen in.

Carol found the DMT workmen in the attic, and spoke to the foreman. He nodded, and said casually, "Merv, just continue here, while I look at some cottages."

Valencio and Carol went with him as he looked closely at the cottages, and pronounced them no problem. Valencio pointed to one, and said, "That one looks nearly alright. Maybe if you could just make it solid, and I'll clean and furnish. Then Jimmy and Brigitta can move in."

Brett drew his wand, and Valencio jumped. Brett glanced at him, and said, "Just reinforcing the framework, and repairing a few of the floor timbers. Eradicate the damp, put a spell on it to make sure it doesn't just return, and you can start cleaning and painting." The workmen had been carefully primed, especially as they'd be staying on site. No robes or even capes, keep away from the women unless approached, and take care with the young man, who'd given Michael a black eye the very first evening.

Valencio wished he hadn't betrayed himself. Just because it was a wizard, didn't mean that he was prey.

Brett took just an hour, did a cleaning spell, and left a solid cottage ready for painting. Valencio was already in Bogridge, buying paint. Four extra cottages, one for Brigitta and Jimmy, but the others? They'd need furniture as well, and they all knew how reluctant Carol was to ask for extra money. They were beginning to have an appreciation of how much they were costing. Even with a half dozen now self-supporting, expenses were very high.

That afternoon, Jimmy, Clarence and Bellamy completed the job of bringing in the hay. Clarence straightened the final haybale, hoped the whole thing wouldn't fall over, as there was a distinct lean to the left, and thanked Bellamy. He'd saved them weeks of work.

Bellamy observed, "Vince didn't come back."

"Doing something else, probably. He works very hard."

Jimmy said, "I think I saw the car he mostly uses. Maybe Carol sent him on an errand."

Bellamy very much regretted his mistake in showing himself in wizard robes. He was very interested in Valencio, not sexually, but for his courage and character. He would have liked to know a great deal more of his history than what he'd been told that day, but had been quite surprised to be told anything. It had seemed that day that he was finally trusted, and it had taken so little to lose it again.

Valencio looked with satisfaction at the cottage. Clean, and sparkling with white paint, but only undercoat. Brigitta and Jimmy would have their own ideas about final colours. It was very small, the same as his and Tasha's, but there were two bedrooms, a kitchen, though without fridge or stove, a bathroom and toilet, but no plumbing yet, and no electricity.

"Tomorrow," Brett had said. "I'll get Merv onto it. That's his specialty."

Brigitta gleefully inspected. "It's our own home!"

Valencio asked, "You _are _going to marry him, then?"

"Nothing decided, and certainly not until I've finished school." She frowned and said, "You know when you both saw Bryce, and said you were sterile? Is it true?"

Valencio shrugged. "I don't remember them doing it, and I don't know why they should have. But that's what Bryce said."

"Just that I wondered if Jimmy was lying, so that I wouldn't say he should find someone who could have children."

Valencio smiled at her, "If you love someone, it doesn't matter if they can't have children."

"Maybe I will marry him then. It was so sweet that he should have lied to me."

Valencio opened his mouth, and then shook his head as she hurried off to find Jimmy. His acting might not have been as good as he'd thought it was.

The maintenance people, eleven men, one woman, were eating in a separate dining room, which they'd routinely set up when they came, explaining that it was orders. Emma said to Valencio, "They're only men, and only look like men, but I still don't like them much."

"There's a feel about wizards. They have a power, they know it, and it shows."

Brigitta was laughing and chattering. "We'll paint tomorrow, Jimmy and I, and then we'll go and spend some of Jimmy's money on furniture and a TV."

"I'd forgotten that Jimmy has his own money."

"He's told Carol she can have whatever she needs, but Carol's determined to manage on what's already allotted."

"Do you want my help with the painting, or moving furniture?"

Brigitta kissed him, and said he could have a day off. He worked too hard.

"I forgot. I can't, anyway. I'm taking Hilde, Kaede, and Tasha to Edinburgh, to see an exhibition of Damien's. He said that photographs of Hilde form the basis."

"And then a bookshop," said Kaede. "I know we can order from Lesley's shop, and it's cheaper that way, but I want to browse, and choose. Such luxury."

Emma said, "And no-one to decide we shouldn't have certain books."

Kaede said, "I have a book in my room now, that comes with a film - learning Japanese. I very much wanted it, but now, I really can't be bothered. No point any more."

Valencio asked, "Can I borrow it then? I always felt so close to being able to understand it properly, and you never know what can come in handy."

"If we have paying guests, languages might be useful."

Emma said, "No! Let's not encourage either Japanese, or Arabs!"

Kaede said, "Fair enough. We might have the odd one or two, but we have some control simply by choosing where to advertise."

Discussions continued throughout the evening, plans for the future, what the maintenance men were doing, Emma's latest painting, that Vince was speeding on a horse now, as well as when driving. Ginger's kittens tumbled about on the floor, and Kaede commented they could go to their new owners soon.

"Not too soon," said Tasha. "I think they need their mother for a while longer." Tasha had not yet seen her parents, though there had been a few stilted letters back and forth. She was glad that she could use the excuse that money was limited, while her mother maintained that if only she wasn't so badly afflicted with arthritis... Her brothers hadn't even written.

There were a few like that, as if their daughters had disgraced the family by being taken away against their will. Clarence, Valencio knew, like himself, had enquired about his family, but had no intention of announcing his return from the dead.

No-one said that they should not have guests. Emma explained that she didn't really want them, but it was a lot better than living on charity. Tasha remarked, "John says it's only what we're owed. That Wizardkind can't restore the years we spent as captives, but help as long as we want - that's owed."

Emma said, "Yes, but I don't think it's Wizardkind paying for us. I think it's mostly John. And if I can stay here and yet not feel like I'm a burden, then I'm happy to help with guests."

It appeared to be what the other shy ones were thinking as well. But Carol wasn't hurrying, and no decision had yet been made.

The following evening, there were new topics. "Gloria - she told Zhor Khatabi to clear out and never come near us again."

Gloria said ruefully, "I lost my temper, and they were only helping. I told them to take the damned App. Box away as well."

"Good idea. It only goes from Morocco to here, and who wants to go back to Morocco?"

"Or have any of the bastards come here!"

Hilde. "Enormous black and white photographs. And I believe him now. They had an impact."

"Were there any of Vince?"

"No, but Damien introduced him to someone who wants him in a TV commercial."

"Not like the one in the toilets that time?"

Valencio said, "There's auditions tomorrow, but he introduced me to the director especially, and he says he very much wants me. It's a series of three advertisements, for some sort of handyman service. He said how much it would pay." The figure he repeated was impressive, and Valencio added, "It would buy me a small secondhand truck maybe, or Carol might want it for something even more urgent."

"How long would it take?"

"Probably between one and two weeks filming, then about three times as long putting the final version together."

"It's amazing money."

"I never actually planned to do any acting, but it's only a few ads, and it's Britain, not America."

"Are you worried about being recognised?"

"Not really. It was so long ago, and I looked different then."

Jimmy said casually, "I might come with you tomorrow."

Valencio said, surprised, "But what about your cottage?"

"It'll wait. Same as when I came with you to Damien. We need your work. We can't have you hauled off to gaol because you beat him up for liking you."

Valencio acknowledged, "I far prefer to be liked the way Erin or Roddy like me."

Jimmy added, "Besides, I have an errand in Edinburgh," and was pleased that Valencio didn't object.

He might not have admitted it, but Valencio was happy that Jimmy sat casually in the back as he auditioned - just walked in, said a few lines, and then was asked to strip to underpants. He'd been expecting that, as he was to be a woman's fantasy of the ideal handyman, as opposed to the actor who would play the ordinary looking, but competent, workman. Without fuss or quibbling, he pulled off his shirt, and jeans, turned around, faced them again, and remarked, "The usual extra money for nudity, of course."

The director said, "No full nudity required. Just brief shorts, probably." And then, curiously, "Are you sure you haven't done any acting before, Vince?"

Valencio shook his head, "I'm a farm labourer."

"Do you have an agent?"

"It's a one-off. Just these three, and then no more."

"Very well, you can dress, and we'll settle the details later."

Valencio nodded, not showing whether he was happy or not to be accepted. Instead, he took a seat beside Jimmy, and watched as the other parts were decided on, including the part of a fierce looking dog.

When offered the contract, he studied it, but remembered some firm advice given to his mother. He stood, said he'd have someone check it for him, and get it back within a couple of days.

The director was even more convinced that it wasn't a farm labourer he was dealing with, but all the same, was pleased with him. He looked like a fantasy - too handsome, yet with a strong body that was in no way effeminate. He couldn't think of any other actor who could pull off the idea of a fantasised ideal as Vince McDonald could.

Carol looked closely at the contract as requested, followed by Dot, the day after, who carefully crossed out a few lines, explaining that projected future advertisements should be renegotiated, rather than be included in the initial contract, and said that the royalties provision seemed very fair.

Valencio thanked her, and sent off the contract, before going to inspect progress of Jimmy's cottage.

"Moving in this afternoon," said Brigitta, proudly. "Everything's new. Nothing left that came from the enclosures, nothing conjured, and even saucepans and crockery, so if we want, we can cook for ourselves."

Jimmy said, "That was my idea. Brigitta has no intention of cooking ever, if she can help it!"

"Maybe one day. But here, it's cheaper and more practical to eat as a community."

A week later, Valencio was acting - not that there was much acting involved. He was simply to wear brief shorts, boots with gaiters as workmen used, and copying the action of the actor playing the part of the real workman. "You'll be soft focus, but Don clear, and the image will flip from one of you to another."

Jimmy watched again, and no-one had tried to suggest that Valencio's friend should not be there. He was a protection, as it was assumed he was the lover. Jimmy didn't worry about the assumption, which he guessed at, though Valencio didn't. The direction was clear and professional, the actors were competent, and Jimmy decided that a chaperone was not needed. Valencio agreed. It was almost routine, though a long way to drive in and out every day.

Eva and Lucy came in with him the second day, and had Damien take a series of photographs for a portfolio. They had an agent in mind - to see whether they could get any modelling jobs. They were in their mid-twenties, but they were very beautiful women. The agent was optimistic.

Bellamy was almost every afternoon at Loch Lomand that week, but Valencio was able to avoid him without trying. He came home weary each night, but Bernice put aside a dinner for him. "It's always the same," he complained. "You do three minutes, then sit around for an hour while other ones do their part, or the cameraman has to change a film, and it winds up a long, long day."

"Good money, though."

"The bloody dog nearly took a piece out of me today - supposed to be well trained, but didn't seem to think I should be parading nearly nude."

Bernice was surprised. "Is that what you do?"

"I wear shorts, and pretend to paint walls, fix leaks, but then I have to turn around and look at the housewife, and look as if I can't wait to jump into bed with her."

"Is that difficult?"

"Not very. She's a nice woman anyway, and if that's not enough, I think about what I'm to be paid."

Tasha caressed Valencio awake Monday morning, and whispered, "I start the bridging course today. I thought if I started the day with some lovemaking, I wouldn't be so nervous." Valencio kissed her, and obliged.

Tasha wasn't the only one nervous, and when Valencio went to get himself an early breakfast, he saw Inge and Evita already there, looking quite unfamiliar in navy checked dresses, and navy blazers, though still barefoot. Inge said, "I've been awake since about four o'clock, worrying about how behind we must be."

Valencio said, "I bet the others don't know Arabic."

Inge nodded. "Kaede taught us French, as well, and you taught us a whole lot of words in Japanese."

"You won't need that now, ever. And in this classroom, nobody will be waving wands at you."

Evita said, "We're lucky. There's nothing really to be frightened of." She glanced at Inge, "I scarcely slept all night either."

Valencio assured them they'd be fine, but he was in a hurry, ate a quick breakfast, and left for Edinburgh.

As usual, he arrived home late, found the meal that Bernice had put aside for him, yawned, and looked for Tasha in the ballroom where people still gathered. Tasha greeted him, and answered his enquiries, "Our teacher's name is Andrea McConachie. She's middle-aged, and obviously knows our history, and tries very hard to be tactful. She said that we knew more than she'd expected."

Adolfina said ruefully, "Not altogether. Other things we didn't have a clue about."

"We already have a lot of reading to do, but Andrea says she's positive we can all do it."

Georgia said, "Roumania, my country. It's now very, very rich, and called a different name, which I made sure to write down, but still can't remember."

Tasha said, "Things in my country, as well. She went through our countries of origin, and told us what had changed that she could think of. I didn't realise just how much I didn't know."

The three girls were still in school uniform, and were not as pleased with themselves as the older ones. "We should have done more work in advance," admitted Inge.

Evita said ruefully, "Already we've got loads of homework, and two of the teachers told us to buy extra reference books, and get stuck into them."

"No more parties, no more dances..."

"Maybe just a few," said Inge.

Brigitta said, "We have teachers for different subjects, but the history teacher, Miss Davies, and it's definitely _Miss_ Davies, she sneered at us, and even said to Evita that no-one should expect privileged treatment."

Evita said, "I imagined her with Botan. That helped."

"We want the qualification. If we get that, there's no need for anyone to know we missed a few years of schooling."

Brigitta stood, "Homework?"

The others also stood, reluctantly, Inge complaining, "I'm tired already, and we've been back at school just one day!"

Valencio remarked to Jimmy, "I'd hate to try it - go straight into ordinary school."

Jimmy said doubtfully, "Seeing Brigitta in school uniform. It makes me realise just how young she is. Am I doing the right thing nagging her to marry me?"

Clarence said, "Brigitta is not a child, and knows her own mind. Maybe you shouldn't nag, but I can't see her being happy with a boy her own age."

Jimmy asked, "Vince?"

"Clarence is right, Jimmy. Brigitta stopped being a child years ago."

Jimmy sighed. Clarence and Vince knew. Clarence at eleven, and Vince at twelve, and he guessed they'd stopped being children, as well.

_xchapter endsx_


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 23:_

Filming for the first three advertisements was completed Friday afternoon, though working late. But then plans were put to Valencio and the other actors about an additional two in the series. That evening, he studied another contract, yawning over it. Carol offered to show it to Dot, and he thanked her, and went off to bed. They were long days.

Carol gave him back the contract the following day, with Dot's firm advice that he should ask for more money, especially as there was a nude scene. Valencio nodded. Carol had already assigned most of his pay. Furniture for new bedrooms, bedrooms with ensuites, for paying guests.

Tasha was in bed, sound asleep. Valencio cuddled up, and slept. Two days off, but back again Monday. He'd scarcely seen anything of Tasha while he'd been working, and she, too, was very busy. Saturday morning, he found her in the library, working with three reference books, and occasionally making notes in an exercise book. She was deeply absorbed.

She looked up, a bit reluctantly, and then stretched. "There's so much to learn," she explained. "We're all working hard."

Valencio asked, "The girls as well?"

"They are now, very hard. They're finding it difficult, I'm afraid."

Valencio pulled over one of the heavy books, and commented, "If I wasn't so busy... It's well worth doing."

"Kaede did the best she could, of course."

"Kaede was good. It was hardly a normal situation, and she helped." He looked into the past a moment. There had been one day. He'd been so sore, he forgot what from. And she'd just started calmly discussing the Panama Canal, instead of the arithmetic which he'd been finding difficult. That would have been Adil. If he'd complained to Nusa'pei at the time, would anything have been different? He shook his head. Nusa'pei had to have known, and besides, while he'd been owned by Adil, the risk of castration was reduced. He'd managed to grow to be a man, and maybe those several months had been worthwhile. And anyway, probably two thirds of the times with Adil, he'd been barely hurt.

"Kaede helped me a lot in the early days," commented Tasha. "Helped me learn English first, then Arabic, and only then did she try and start teaching anything else."

"Thirteen, and not knowing the language spoken. It must have been terribly difficult."

"I was so lonely, even when there were others all wanting to help. They hardly ever took anyone who didn't have a knowledge of English."

"I haven't seen Kaede today."

"She probably slept though breakfast. She was out all night with John."

Valencio was stunned, "She was?"

Tasha laughed. "He took her to see her old home, but there's a big time difference, and she had to go at night."

Valencio grinned. "I remember Kaede trying to explain that to Emma. I have the feeling she just didn't believe her."

Tasha said, "I wish I could apparate anywhere in the world. It must be so wonderful!"

"I heard the Khatabi women were not taught to apparate, not even told there was any such thing."

"I suppose they didn't want the women deciding to leave before they were ready. Like Bouchra, who tried to escape, and then was crippled."

"She was as much a prisoner as we were, but now she's Pasquila-Kha, and I'm a school student, and you're a farm labourer. Freedom. We can be what we want to be."

Valencio grinned, "Want to come riding? Honey was complaining she doesn't see enough of you."

Tasha rose, stacking her books. "Time to get some fresh air," she agreed.

Gloria joined them, riding Madigan. She'd also had an excursion the previous day, taken to John's home, with the idea that she should name some young horses for him. "Lovely gardens, and I saw Bess and Naji, whom he was given to ride while he was a prisoner. His wife tracked them down, and bought them for him."

She had to describe the house and property again, but said that spells kept it hidden, and he hadn't said where it was. "He's got two large paddocks, full of retired horses, mostly brood mares. Lots of white ones, and they're Andalusians, and lots of 'Line of Sheba' ones. That's what he calls his stud, Line of Sheba. He seemed to know them all, and showed me some, and told me what champions their foals had been."

Tasha asked, "Wasn't Connie supposed to be seeing his Art Gallery one day?"

"She had the chance yesterday, but declined."

"So did you see the Art Gallery?"

"Yes. He said it's only a few years old, since Clare died. There were portraits, a few landscapes, and also lots of ones of animals, especially horses. He showed me a portrait of Pat, and one of Julie, who was an earlier wife. And there was one he said was his daughter, Beth, except that she's dead now. Beth was fat and plain, and looked so, so wise, and had a beauty. Or that's how the artist painted her."

"It's hard to believe he's so old."

Gloria said, "He obviously loves his home. He said he bought the property soon after he married his first wife. I didn't see Zhor or Najia, though I saw Victor and Oliver."

"How did you go naming the horses?"

Gloria laughed, "I suggested Johndoe for one of the foals, but he said he hadn't actually liked being John Doe. He let me name one Damir, though. A really pretty dappled dun, with a creamy mane and tail. Only small, one of Bess's foals. He said that there were always a few young ones, and they just go to whoever needs them when they grow up, the same as Sherese and Reya's foals."

At lunch, there were giggles. "Kaede. She's sunburnt. I didn't think someone with brown skin would get sunburnt!"

"Remember she was going to be a nun? Apparently the church and the buildings are in ruins."

Valencio remarked, "It would have been rather a blow to their faith when three prospective nuns walked out with Yiko instead!"

Tasha said, "Maybe Yiko had a sense of humour."

"A sense of irony, maybe."

Monday, Valencio was again driving to Edinburgh, leaving before dawn, to get there on time. The story of the housewife's fantasy had developed, and one of the two extra advertisements was likely to be only played late at night, as her fantasy became more real. The message was that the handyman company could provide competent handymen, not dream handymen. It was the last ad in the series that Valencio really liked, when he was to drop a hammer on his toe, and hop around, yelping.

They did that one first, and Valencio enjoyed the hilarity produced by his act. He even had a chance to shed tears, looking pathetic and mournful. But on Wednesday, it was back to Number 4. It was supposedly a closed set as there was full nudity, but there seemed to be the same number of people as usual. Valencio had seen nude scenes before, and hadn't expected anything different. It would be soft focus again, becoming softer as the dream handyman's clothing vanished off him, and he bore the plain and ordinary housewife to the floor in a passionate embrace. Valencio said to Vera, the 'housewife,' that it didn't really advertise the handyman firm much.

"I think they've got a bit carried away, myself. It doesn't seem to have much to do with the message." She glanced at his arms. "A good thing you're strong, Vince. I'd hate to be dropped!"

"Just weeks ago, I was dragging around haybales. That's a job that builds muscles!"

Vera said, "My husband's coming in to watch this one. He thinks it's not proper, even though I'm fully clothed!"

Valencio laughed. "He's right. It's not at all proper. But if I get excited, just tell him I was only thinking about the money. He won't be jealous then."

"Are you likely to get excited?"

Valencio answered fervently, "I hope not."

Vera chuckled, and said, "I'm supposed to be the plain and ordinary housewife. It would be very flattering!"

"Your husband might beat me up."

"I'll tell him not to."

As it happened, the scene went smoothly, and Valencio managed not to embarrass himself by showing inappropriate excitement, although he was not unaffected, and neither were those who watched. He slipped on his shorts with relief, and stood next to Vera, waiting to see whether the director was satisfied. The producer was there that day, usually close to the director, but now he wandered over to the two actors, stood next to Valencio, and said, "Well acted, Vince. I'd like to talk to you about more work." His words were matter-of-fact.

Valencio shook his head, and said, "I prefer working on the farm, quite frankly. It's more satisfying."

"Getting hay in? I heard that." He stroked Valencio's upper arm, and said softly, "It's developed muscles."

Valencio looked at the big man, becoming tense. The hand wandered, and then down over buttocks. Valencio flinched and stepped away, suddenly terrified, not of the man, whom he could probably fight off if needed, but of his own sudden temptation. Acting harder than he had all day, he said casually, "I'll have to bring in my wife to protect my virtue, maybe."

The producer said, disappointed, "Your wife?"

Valencio said, very firmly, "My wife!"

They were nearly finished, although Valencio had to strip again, just for a few shots of full body, then again, with shorts, and boots back on, then several close ups of face only.

"Look like you're wanting."

Valencio thought of Tasha, and looked like he was wanting. He was a professional. A minor disturbance should not interfere with his work. He was a lot more conscious of those who watched now, and was uneasy. At last, there was no more excuse to keep him, and he dressed quickly, making sure not to be caught alone.

Finished, and he arrived home late, as usual.

"Never again," he told Jimmy. "I don't care how much they offer to pay."

"Did someone make a pass?"

"At least I didn't hit this time." He glanced at Jimmy, "Maybe you're right. I'm a babe in the woods!"

Gloria joined them, saying that Mildred was now officially in charge of gardens, and had no intention of leaving. It was expected. Mildred was one of their older ones. It was very difficult to consider a new career after just nine years of childhood, and over forty years of imprisonment.

Gloria added casually, "I've sent Revenge off to a stallion. It looks like she'll always be a biter, so she might as well have foals."

"A bit small for any of us, anyway."

"If we have guests, there might be children."

Children! Few of them had thought about coping with children.

Valencio said, "I have no intention of lifting a finger tomorrow. I'm too tired. I'll ride a bit, if I can have Caesar, otherwise take it very easy. It's been hard work."

"A long way to drive morning and evening."

Valencio nodded. "Over four hours a day driving, and some of it in heavy traffic. Too much!"

Gloria said, "No-one asks for Caesar except you. You can have him."

Jimmy said, "They're opening up the South Wing."

Valencio sat up, surprised, and very pleased. The South Wing had been roped off, as too dangerous. Jimmy continued, "The DMT team will be here a lot longer than planned, but there'll be thirty extra bedrooms, all with ensuites, small sitting rooms, a guest dining room, a large function room..." He grinned, and said, "It's fairly obvious they approve of the idea - they want us to become self-sufficient."

"Can we see?" asked Valencio, eagerly, casting off his fatigue.

"Only a bit. Two bedrooms, they're using as models, but there's still holes in floors, and we're not supposed to go any further."

Carol found them as they inspected, and hugged Valencio. "It's wonderful, and your first payment arrived today."

Valencio grinned, "A truck?"

Carol shook her head, and said, "Next. After we furnish the new bedrooms as best we can. As long as something else doesn't crop up."

Valencio shook his head mournfully, but at least the hay was in.

Carol said hopefully, "We might be able to have our first trial guests before Christmas."

Valencio had his day off. He wasn't nearly as idle as he'd said. He gave a few of the horses a thorough brushing, including Emanuelle, whom he thought neglected, did a little puppy training with Shona, played with the kittens, persuaded Tasha that making love in the open air was a desirable change, and in the afternoon, he rode Caesar to Bogridge, left him in a small area of grass behind Maliwan and Sheila's Frock Shop, and reported to Veronica who wanted to make him blonde.

Veronica succeeded very well, and he looked at his pale hair afterwards, grinned, and strolled off to the pub, to show off his new look. Mary was sitting with Gary in the lounge area, and laughed. Gary looked at him, and queried, "Vince?"

Valencio put his hand to his hair, and said, "Veronica. She says now she can make anyone blonde, and they only have to make an appointment."

Gary laughed, and spoke to Mary in a tone of tenderness, "Would you prefer me blonde?"

Mary shook her head, and said, "You're fine just the way you are."

"Grey? And with thinning hair?"

Valencio said, "I'm the first that Veronica's done like this. _I_ might have thinning hair before night." But then he was hailed by a couple of friends in the other bar, and went to join them.

Mary smiled after him, and said to Gary, "He's so full of life."

"Blonde! He doesn't look like a blonde!"

"Angini was looking at a picture of a mohawk hairstyle, and he says they can do exactly as they please now the acting job's over."

An hour later, Valencio dropped in to see Sheila and Maliwan, who stared, laughed, and offered him coffee. He declined, and went to saddle Caesar, who flattened his ears and stamped his foot. Valencio told him to behave himself, and said, "Wait until you see me after Angini has a go." He glanced at the small area of unkempt grass, and commented, "Good thing they don't have a nice garden to ruin."

Caesar nuzzled him. He liked Valencio really, and he liked being able to stretch out in a full gallop. Valencio never tried to make him go slower than he wanted to.

Tasha smiled at her husband when he found her not long before dinner, though running her fingers through his hair, and complaining that it felt stiff and dry. Valencio did the same, agreed, and commented, "Two of Roddy's mates think they might like to be blonde, as well, but they're starting with light brown hair."

"Veronica will be pleased." But then Tasha said, acting casual, "Nikola and Bridget have jobs, starting Monday."

Valencio said, "I hadn't heard they were even looking."

"John helped, but they said they had to insist. He was reluctant, they said."

"What sort of job?"

"Working in a very expensive, very high class brothel in Paris."

"Surely they can't want to work in a brothel!"

"They say they do. And you know Bridget. She'd only be doing it if she wanted to."

"John should not have helped them. It must only be to support themselves."

Tasha shook her head. "They're thrilled to bits, they're crowing about the money, and can't wait to go to Paris."

Valencio shook his head, "I don't believe it. And I _don't_ think John should have helped."

Tasha looked at him doubtfully. She'd been afraid he'd take it like this. She tried to explain. "It's not like in the enclosure. They can refuse any customer they want, they work only as hard as they want, and the money's very, very good. They're thrilled with themselves, and you mustn't spoil it for them."

At dinner, Valencio saw the two young women, sitting together, laughing and smiling, and as Tasha said, perfectly obviously thrilled with themselves. He joined their group a little later, and just listened.

Bridget said, "Marie's the boss. She said no-one, ever, would force us. Only that if we refuse too many, we could not stay as employees."

Nikola looked at Valencio, gave him a wide smile, and said, "We'll be higher earners than you've been these last few weeks."

Valencio was still troubled, but Bridget said, "John was upset, too. But Marie pointed out he used to be a good customer, and it makes no sense to think it's alright to be a customer, yet think it's not alright to work there."

"This Marie. Will she look after you?"

"There are all sorts of safeguards. We won't need to put up with anyone like Botan, for instance."

Nikola said, "It was something I enjoyed, extracting information from the wizards. Using them, when they thought they were using me."

Bridget nodded, "I liked that, too. Manipulating them."

Valencio finally spoke, and Tasha sighed with relief. "When do you start?"

In the morning, Valencio found that their haystack had fallen over. The lean had apparently developed overnight. He scratched his head. It should be undercover, but maybe they needed a bigger hayshed in any case. By the time the others joined him, he was marking out places for new uprights. They'd simply extend the roof over the fallen haybales, and maybe next year, they'd be better at making haystacks.

The others laughed at the simple solution to the problem of a toppled haystack, and he went to Carol for money for more sheets of roofing iron, and more timber. Carol was agreeable, though she found it difficult to think of anything than her new South Wing. She was crowing again. "Thirty good sized bedrooms, all with ensuites, a large function room..."

Valencio said, "Jimmy says we'll need garages, as well."

"That'll have to wait a few weeks. This is our first priority," and she looked at large windows all along the South Gallery. They needed drapes, preferably heavy drapes to keep out the cold. How much would that cost?

Valencio mentioned, "I don't plan on doing any more acting, by the way. It might be well paid, but I don't like it much."

Carol had already heard that there had been some sort of a pass made, and while she didn't understand his temptation, did know that he could be dangerous to any man who molested him. She would not encourage him to do something that was risky for him. As she'd said to the others, Loch Lomand was primarily a place to recover. Better to ask for more money if they needed it, than that Valencio was put at risk.

_xdividerx_

Just two days later, Nikola and Bridget were surrounded, as the others said their goodbyes, and wished them luck. Jimmy was to drive them to Duich, and then they were to go by train and then ferry, with both Jimmy and Valencio to go with them, to carry luggage, and to look after them. Carol had allotted them plenty of start-up money, for taxis, and whatever else required, and they'd confided to the men that John said he could call them in an emergency, and he'd come. She laughed to Valencio that he'd been thoroughly upset when they'd asked him first. "Remember when he turned the horse box into a dressing room? Someone said it looked like a French bordello, and he said he liked French bordellos, so we thought they must be alright. John wouldn't like anyplace that hurt women."

Nikola had her eye on the entry drive, but it was when Madigan jumped the fence, and galloped toward the gate way that she knew that their Good Luck had come in time to see them on their way. Bellamy hugged them, as soon as he arrived, and said, "You know, if you don't like it, you could always get jobs as interpreters, with your languages. I thought of it about two o'clock in the morning."

Bridget said, "If we don't like it, we'll think about it."

It was the first time that Valencio had seen John for several weeks. He didn't look any different, but somehow he felt different. Happy. He guessed he was no longer pining for Pat. From medj wife, to Khatabi witches, two of them. Quite a change!

Jimmy drove, and Nikola said they had to practise their French, so they spoke French all the way, to the port, on the ferry, and to the Paris taxi-driver. Only Jimmy had trouble, though he claimed to know the language.

The Maison Rose-Marie was an old-fashioned building in Paris, with an air of ancient graciousness. It was in a good area, surrounded by middle-class homes. It looked very respectable - even classy. Both the men were dubious, but Marie looked at the girls' escorts, guessed immediately that Valencio had a similar history to the girls, even if Jimmy didn't, and they were shown over the establishment, had a chance to meet a few of the girls, and Marie patiently explained some of the safeguards that protected her girls. It made Jimmy uneasy, wondering if he'd been watched in a similar situation, but Valencio nodded, relieved. Men didn't hurt if they were watched.

But then they were hugged and dismissed, and went outside, wondering what to do next.

"Paris," said Jimmy.

"We could wander around for a bit, see the tourist sights..."

It was already evening, and Jimmy said, "Maybe we'd best find a cheap hotel first, and book in."

They stayed the day after, as well, but then had to hitch their way from London to Duich, as the money for the train had been spent. They did make a phone call, just so no-one would worry, but arrived home a day late, and very weary. There had been not a thing to disturb Valencio, and he had a renewed confidence. Having another man always close was a big protection, though Jimmy was becoming a bit annoyed at the assumptions he could see on the faces of those who noticed them. Just because the man was good-looking!

By the time they returned, there was more news. Eva and Lucy had jobs, modelling, and were staying in Edinburgh for a few weeks until the work ran out, and Farfalla had a few days' work in a fish and chip shop in Bogridge.

Gloria was ecstatic about a new horse that Bellamy had brought them, "Sirius," she said. "He's about ten, and Bellamy says he's very fast, and we can have him long-term. There's another as well, called Heathcliffe, but Dot and Michael's horses are gone. He said they were missing them." And she remarked, with satisfaction, "The App. Box is gone."

The men conferred, and Valencio suggested, "Finish the roof of the hayshed, then think about garages?" The DMT workmen were still working in the castle, and expected to be a few weeks yet. Many of the women were talking easily to them now, and they had frequent visitors wanting to inspect, and some wanting to watch. Valencio was happier keeping away from wizards. He still had a sneaking suspicion that wizards might be more attracted to boys and men, than were medj.

They didn't work long, as they ran out of materials, and Carol said there was no more money at present for any more. Valencio scratched his head, and finally started heaving bales around again, getting as much as possible back under cover. It never stayed dry for long in that climate. But then he straightened, looked around at what he was beginning to regard as his farm, and said, "Might go and see Joe. I think we should plant grape vines, and make wine."

Jimmy grinned, thinking he was joking, but Valencio saddled Caesar, and it was Joe who explained that crops depended on climate, and the climate was quite unsuitable for grapes. Valencio was disappointed, but stayed for lunch, enjoying the undemanding company. They told him about the grandchild, getting into non-stop mischief, and that another was expected in the new year. Valencio told them that Tasha was back into schooling, and that it seemed so quiet, with so many either left, or out every day.

"How many have left?" asked Anne.

"Three permanently, probably, and a few more, but we don't know for how long."

"Not so many, then."

"It's just that we've been together so long, and each one is missed."

Anne Corbett asked, very quietly, "How long were you a prisoner, Vince?"

Valencio hesitated. She shouldn't ask that. But they'd done a lot for him, and he finally answered briefly, "I was twelve." It was an admission that he was taken for sex, and he was deeply uneasy.

Anne asked him if he wanted anything else to eat.

Joe asked, "Jimmy?"

"Something different. He was taken for different purposes, and was only a prisoner for a few months."

He was looking at the table, and his face was red.

Joe said calmly, "I bumped into Gary McGregor the other day. He's looking as happy as a boy, head over heels in love."

Anne helped, "Mary, wasn't it?"

"Mary. He said her name every two sentences. Hard to forget. He says it might take a while yet, as she's so shy."

Valencio was relieved that there were no more questions, and said, "A lot of the women are still worried by strangers. But I like Gary. I reckon he'll get what he wants if he perseveres. And Mary. She's quiet and shy, but she's very strong. If she accepts him, she'll make him happy."

There was a whistling neigh, and Valencio stood up. "Caesar, my horse. He thinks he's the boss."

Joe admired the horse, as Valencio tightened the girth again, and Caesar pawed the ground. "Really yours?"

"He belongs to Loch Lomand, but I mostly ride him."

A moment later, they were off at full gallop. Joe chuckled. "Gary also said that Clem pulled him up for speeding a second time, maybe that's why he rides a horse now."

"I guess we always knew."

Joe said optimistically, "He seems perfectly alright now. Game for anything."

"Maybe he was handled gently... Maybe it was alright."

"I thought he wouldn't answer."

_xdividerx_

The next project for the men was to work on a track that Connie and Mary had mapped out, devised especially for prospective visitors. They called it the Heidi Track. There were several places that needed a little work to improve the going, and one place that needed a bridge, wide and solid enough for horses, and possibly nervous riders.

They inspected that place carefully, and Valencio said, "It might have to wait. I couldn't even get Carol to give me enough money to finish the hayshed."

Connie looked disappointed.

Clarence asked, "The money from the ads, Vince?"

"Gone, I believe. New furniture needed."

Jimmy asked, "You just gave it all to her?"

Valencio explained, "I'm planning on staying here long-term now, or at least as long as Tasha agrees. My home, so money just goes into the pot."

"Well, we'll bypass Carol, and I'll pay for materials for your hayshed first, and then Connie and Mary's bridge."

Connie and Valencio beamed, Mary hugged him.

Clarence groaned, "That means more work. I wasn't made for heavy work, I think."

His complaint was ignored. Clarence wore a settled, contented look these days. In the enclosures, his look had been primarily one of defeat.

_xchapter endsx_


	24. Chapter 24

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_There are 37 chapters in this story._

_Chapter 24__:_

In the next weeks, there was a lot of progress in several areas. The workmen completed the South Wing, and left, but there was only enough money to furnish two bedrooms and a sitting room. Resources were stretched, though Carol was making quite sure all that was needed for the schooling was provided, even down to hockey sticks for the girls - school sport.

Bridget and Nikola wrote that they were happy in their jobs, and Lucy and Eva, who'd been models before being taken, were again working as models, and based themselves in Edinburgh. Veronica and Angini were busy, and were beginning to get a few customers for interesting hairstyles and colours, though none, so far, had asked for the mohawk currently worn by Valencio. Tiffany was very happy, visited frequently, and Cam was often there as well.

Tatiana had some casual work, like Farfalla, but was dismissed from her second job because she took violent exception to a hand on her breast. Valencio and Jimmy visited the man the following day, and he agreed to hand over a month's wages in lieu of notice. Word spread, and there was a distinct downturn in his customers. Bogridge was now very possessive of its 'refugees,' and would not tolerate anyone abusing them.

Gloria and Madigan competed at two more gymkhanas, with some success, and so did Tiffany, though others said they were too busy studying. Mary announced her engagement to Gary McGregor, who fussed around getting his home in Duich ready for his bride, although the wedding was not to be until February.

The students for the bridging course were doing well, and there were now three extras, young single men, one of whom was going out with Treen. The girls were working hard, but managed a lively social life as well. Miss Davies treated them with more leniency after a confrontation when Brigitta walked out, followed without question by Evita and Inge, and then by half the class.

Most of the developments were stories of progress, but not all. Most of the women had now contacted relatives, but more found that news of their survival was not received with whole-hearted joy, and in most cases, meetings quickly became fewer and shorter. There was not a single woman who found they could return home, and feel comfortable. Loch Lomand was home now, and the other ex-prisoners were their family.

There was another advertisement placed in the New York newspaper. No matter what, Dean Blockman wanted news of Valencio Durano. He said there was a legacy. Kaede showed Valencio. He stated firmly that he had no intention of contacting Dean, legacy or no legacy. Kaede thought he was making a mistake, but sent back a courteous letter denying any knowledge of Valencio.

Early October. The three men were working on the bridge of the Heidi Track, making solid wings to lead horses safely onto the bridge, now completed. There had been several projects now, and they worked easily together.

Clarence said, "Someone's coming," and straightened, slightly stiffly.

"We're honoured," remarked Valencio, as Emma, Mary, Connie and Gloria came into view, followed by others.

Clarence exclaimed, "John! It's John on Russki!"

Jimmy beamed at the great man, sitting so casually in the saddle. "Do you ever give notice when you're visiting?"

Bellamy grinned. "Rarely." His eyebrows rose when he saw Valencio's hair standing proudly in a strip down the centre of his head.

Valencio grinned, "Angini. She said it was beautiful! But no-one else likes it!"

"They doing alright?"

"Very busy, very popular."

Clarence said, "Maliwan and Sheila, as well. Quiet, but they're supporting themselves, and there are beginning to be customers coming from other towns, they say, because they have different things than other dress shops."

Valencio asked, "So what've you been doing?"

"Zoe's doing great things in Japan, and quite often, she wants me around, like a decoration."

"You haven't had to do any fighting or anything."

"Zoe says if I'm there, they know they've got to do what they're told."

Curiously, Valencio asked, "Do _you_ do what you're told?"

Bellamy laughed easily, "Nearly always." But then he glanced at his watch. "I want to see Lesley before I go home, so can't stay long."

"Eleven escorts," Valencio commented as they rode off. "They still like him!" They went back to work.

At dinner, they heard that there was suddenly more money for furniture, and that Lesley Bellamy, the one with the bookshop, had offered accommodation and experience to anyone thinking of starting a business. Didi and Mildred had been talking of starting a bookshop, and now Didi was looking nervous, but excited, and Mildred frankly frightened. She'd been one of those who'd been totally lost when first freed, but it had been eighteen months now.

An hour after dinner, both Tasha and Valencio were in their own little cottage, reading, when there was a knock at the door. Carol, Didi and Mildred. Carol didn't bother with preamble, but asked, "Tash, can we borrow Vince to go with Mildred and Didi to London for a few nights?"

Tasha said casually, "I don't mind sharing him."

Mildred laughed, "Yes, but we only want him for moral support, and to carry our bags."

Didi grinned at him, "Anyway, how do you go to bed with a purple Apache haircut?"

Vince shook his head, also grinning, "Not Apache. Huon, or some such thing, I think." He rather thought he liked looking outlandish. Better than being 'beautiful,' with all its manifold complications.

Later that night, Tasha asked, "Have you been to London before, Vince?"

"A few times. I had an English stepfather, Lord Linton, but it only lasted about six months, I think, and I barely remember him. I would have been about seven. A few times after that, as well. My mother sometimes had a fancy to take me with her, like an accessory."

"Your mother had a few husbands?"

"Several. She was very beautiful, adored, cosseted by everyone. I think I'm the only one didn't do exactly what she wanted, when she wanted it. And I did too, most of the time."

"Who was your actual father?"

"His name was Livio Guido Durano. He made a big name for himself in a few Italian films, just one major American film, but he had very bad health. He died when I was eleven. I think I used to see him sometimes when I was very little, but not at all later on."

"Did he look like you?"

Valencio hesitated, "I don't think so. I think I might look more like my mother."

A few days later, Valencio was instructed to stop shaving one side of his head, and the compound that kept his hair stiff, was washed out, as well as the purple dye. Veronica then simply combed the now bi-coloured hair over one side of his head, and announced that the blonde colour was to grow out, as Carol wanted him good-looking again for an ad for Loch Lomand holidays.

Valencio was surprised. "She hasn't said anything to me!"

Just a day later, he was with Didi and Mildred in London. The bookshop was a surprise - enormous premises, right in the middle of London.

"Dad bought it for me," Lesley said, as they looked, awe-struck. "It backs onto a wizarding area, but you won't have anything to do with that part, just the medj area. My premises are above the shop, and that's where you sleep, and Vince, as well, if he likes.'

Valencio beamed at the tall young woman. "Just a couple of nights, please. I'd like to have a look around."

Mildred gave a sigh of relief. Didi was there, but she was feeling a little panicky at the thought of being left. Valencio was never frightened of anything.

Lesley's husband strolled in, tried not to stare at Valencio's hair, and said, "Hasina told me you'd arrived." He smiled at the women, "My name's Dallas Weasley, Lesley's husband."

Valencio remarked, "You took him by surprise, we heard. Told him Christmas day you were getting married, and did, that day."

Dallas grinned. "Susan's idea. She says it's just the sort of thing he does."

"And he proved it, only about six months later," chimed in Lesley. "He didn't tell us that he was married again until two weeks after, and then made a scandal at a Pluravista! It's becoming a habit of his."

Dallas took Valencio under his wing, and after dinner, they went out again, walking around the bustling city, though Didi and Mildred declined the invitation. Valencio pointed out a bus shelter, "I think that's the one. Shortly after John freed us, I came to London, and slept there the night. It was already occupied, but Bandar invited me to share."

Dallas cocked an eyebrow at Valencio, and Valencio laughed, and shook his head. "Not like that. Just being friendly."

Dallas asked, "How much do you know about my father-in-law?"

"Quite a lot. A chap called Bryce McKenzie visited when he got himself hurt in a fight, and answered every question anyone asked. He even provided Gloria with some books about him."

Dallas shook his head. "Bryce is famous for his total lack of tact. He has very loud arguments with Bellamy, quite regularly, I hear."

"He saved his life, I suspect, that night."

Dallas was surprised, "I know nothing of that."

"Then maybe Bryce didn't tell anyone, and I bet John wouldn't!"

Dallas asked, "Do you know about him being kidnapped? And the disgrace after?"

Valencio nodded. Dallas hesitated, and Valencio prodded, "He said there was a film that included every sordid detail, even a pornographic film."

"It was a long time ago, and I've never seen either. But there's a story handed down." He stopped, looking at a hotel. "It seemed the porno movie had a real impact, maybe because some of it was real. He became almost a gay icon. And that hotel there catered for homosexuals, medj, of course, and they had some sort of promotion with him as the unwilling hero. Some rash person showed him, he lost his temper and burnt it down. He had to pay compensation, and was lucky not to be hauled off to gaol."

"Poor John. He told us a bit about it, to make some of us feel better, but he went very red. Even now, it embarrasses him."

Dallas said, "He never talks about it usually. He never talks about a lot of his past. I'm surprised he told you."

Valencio shrugged, "We have pasts we don't like to talk about, as well."

They walked a while in silence, the only remark was by Valencio, "So many cinemas!"

"There's been a bit of a revival in cinema-going, I think. There seems to be new ones all the time."

The following day, Valencio wandered again, just himself this time. There had been a cinema he'd noticed, apparently specialising in children's movies, new ones and old ones. He was too curious to let it lie. He'd only seen Summer in Rome once, at the premiere, when he'd already been working hard at the third movie - Spindrift. He'd been taken shortly after that was done.

He wouldn't cry this time. He was firmly Vince McDonald, and very happy in his new life, working for all of them, in their own home.

Ten minutes into the movie, he slipped out. He couldn't watch that poor innocent child, so soon to be turned into something different. He strode through the crowded streets of London, and he was crying again. He hadn't accepted it, and maybe never would. There was a wound in him that might never heal.

He was noticed. His unreal beauty, so unusual in a man, his odd hairstyle, blonde, with an inch of black roots, and the way he walked so fast, not noticing the people around. He was not molested. Predators were rare, in both the medj world and the wizarding world, even in a big city.

By the time he returned to Lesley and Dallas's place, he was able to be cheerful again, and showed a small necklace he'd bought for Tasha. "I can't spend much. I'm saving up for a secondhand truck."

Dallas asked, "What do you want that for?"

Valencio said vaguely, "Dozens of things." But then he grinned, "I'm a farmer, and you can't be a farmer without a farm truck."

Just a couple of weeks later, Valencio and Tasha bargained a drop in price for a battered red truck that belched black smoke. Valencio was thrilled with it, and started spending hours every day, tinkering with its insides. He left his play for long enough to get his Heavy Vehicle Drivers license, though suffering another lecture from Clem about the necessity for staying within speed limits.

He'd cast aside the brief sadness of a long ago film, and took no notice when Kaede showed him yet another advertisement placed by Dean Blockman. This time, it reminded Valencio that there was a Trust Fund in his name, which would be dissolved if he didn't make contact. Kaede said, "It sounds like he's convinced you're one of us, and still hoping that you're alive."

Valencio had no intention of admitting his identity, but did he have a right to withhold the money if it was needed? He went to Carol, but Carol said that Loch Lomand was comfortably supporting them all - that it was only because they were improving the castle for guests that they were a little short from time to time. She added, "Beautiful truck!"

Valencio laughed, knowing that Carol, like a lot of them, thought that he was silly, wanting a truck in order to pretend to be a farmer.

But the following day, he was using his truck to take a load of horse dung for Mildred's gardens. Mildred was still away, but he knew what she wanted. It was a large area, and her plan was to have a herbaceous border winding all the way down to the Entry Lodge. Valencio didn't have the faintest idea of what a herbaceous border was, only knew it looked like an enormous amount of digging for him.

But in the afternoon, Valencio came back from a ride with Shirley, and stared, as Emma competently used a hired digging machine to plough the whole area of Mildred's planned garden. Valencio begged a try, and spent most of the rest of the day happily digging up whatever he had an excuse to dig up, while Emma and Shirley started to spread manure.

Two days later, Carol indulged her 'farmer,' at the suggestion of Joe Corbett, by providing a small tractor, with an attachable tray he could raise or lower. Valencio liked being a farmer. You got to have so many toys. But Carol knew how valuable his work was. Few of the women were suited to heavy manual labour, and neither was Clarence, who was no longer young. But Valencio relished it, and only seemed all the happier when he was filthy. They had Jimmy as well, but Jimmy would almost certainly leave with Brigitta, once she was finished school.

The first guests were scheduled to arrive in the middle of November, and Carol tore Valencio away from his explorations of the tractor engine, to shift furniture. "Shower first," she said, sternly. Valencio had a streak of grease down his face, and grease marks all over his clothes. They were the clothes from the enclosure, still with No. 143 prominently marked. He'd explained before that he took pleasure in getting them dirty. His hair still looked distinctly odd as well, with blonde tips, and thick only in the centre where the mohawk had been. Yiko would have been thoroughly displeased. At least he never had developed much body hair.

She regarded him, her mouth twitching, and said, "Sorry, no matter what you do, you're still not ugly!"

Valencio grinned, "Angini wants me to have a red Affro, as soon as she's allowed."

"Affro?"

"Very frizzy hair, all over, standing out at least four inches."

Carol shook her head. Whether or not he'd resolved old conflicts, at present, Valencio seemed absolutely and contagiously happy. She mentioned, "Clarence won't be working with you much any more. He'll be one of the primary hosts, and so will Mariabella, as housekeeper. Gloria will be in charge of any rides, and you help wherever needed."

"How many?"

"Six couples, arriving Saturday, for two weeks. They understand they're the guinea pigs, that there's no garages yet, and that's why it's cheap."

There was a full meeting that evening, including Didi and Mildred, returned from Lesley's. Carol explained that while students were not expected to do anything, the ones who'd volunteered to be hosts would wear the bright yellow jackets or jumpers issued, whenever they were on duty, and all who were prepared to be approached, should wear the yellow vest over their clothes, no matter what they were doing.

"Guests will know they can approach anyone wearing yellow."

There were a few questions, and the instruction, "Name badges for anyone wearing yellow, and no magic on display of course, not even anti-bruising lotion. Wizarding newspapers, and those books about John must be kept out of sight, as the guests can use the library."

Kaede said, "I've made a section where they can borrow or swap books, but any borrowed from the permanent library, they'll have to return."

There was more discussion about the prospective guests, but then talk moved on to the jobs that Shirley and Deirdre had applied for. Tour guides, based in Edinburgh, training to be provided, languages an advantage, although Deirdre admitted that she was more frightened of getting the job, than she was hopeful! Gloria put in, "If we're going to look for jobs based on our knowledge of languages, maybe we'd best practise translating from one to the other."

It was a good idea, and when John turned up the following day, without warning as usual, he found Valencio spreading manure, and simultaneously telling a story in Italian which Adolfina was translating into German, which Shirley was translating into English.

Adolfina asked, "How long will you be around this time, John?"

"There's cholera in Morocco, so I'll be staying a while, until after Christmas, probably."

Shirley asked, "Have you seen the new bridge on the Heidi Track yet?"

"I haven't seen it completed."

"I'll saddle a couple of horses, and show you now."

Bellamy smiled, "I'd like to see."

Valencio helped saddle Mosquito for Shirley, as she chose Gus, for John.

"Naji's first foal," Bellamy said, stroking Gus. "I'll be able to ride Naji again soon. Her latest foal is growing up, and she hasn't gone straying again."

Shirley neatly mounted Mosquito, and Bellamy mounted Gus, who snorted and danced.

Shirley was surprised. "He's never done that before."

Bellamy stroked him. "Maybe he likes me."

Shirley laughed. "Not all of us have, always."

Bellamy nodded. He knew.

Valencio watched them canter off, and returned to spreading manure. John was good to talk to. He guessed Shirley had something on her mind.

Just a couple of days later, Saturday, Clarence and Mariabella welcomed their first visitors. Valencio had little to do with them to begin with. He was working on a variation to the Heidi Track, devised by Shirley, and christened Gundarrson's Gallop. Only Shirley knew who Gundarrson was. It would be a fast ride, not for beginners, incorporating the natural obstacles that would be jumped. None of the jumps were at all large, and any of their ponies could manage without problem. Valencio took Emanuelle down it, testing, but Emanuelle was in Bluey's paddock these days, all the same. It had been decided that visitors would not ride her. Emanuelle had a nasty streak.

On Tuesday, he was working to clear some overly thick growth from an ancient, half fallen down wall, when he met a couple of the guests for the first time. It was two of the men, who were taking an energetic walk up the mountain. It was a good system, the vests, and none of the residents had been approached if they were not wearing that marker. Valencio greeted the men. "Warm day," he commented.

"If one works hard enough, no doubt," said Dean, the honeymooner.

"Enjoying yourselves?"

"The women are raving over its beauty, and Sue was wishing she'd brought her paints."

"We don't see much of you," commented the other man.

"Too much to do," Valencio answered. "My name's Vince," and he shook hands with Dean and Colin.

Dean asked, "So what's this for, Vince?"

"A horse ride, with a few jumps. But it's not ready yet."

"Can it be ridden?"

"If someone gives you a lead. I'll take you myself, if you want."

Dean looked at Bill, who said, "Why not?"

"Have you ridden before?"

"Not for a long time."

Valencio abandoned his work, and started walking down the mountain in company with the other men. Shona trotted after them.

"The women are off shopping in Duich," said Dean, "All six of them."

"The other men?"

"Reading, or watching a movie, something like that."

"Clarence was planning a tour, wasn't he?"

Dean nodded. "It sounds good. We're all doing that, but tomorrow."

Valencio said, "I hadn't thought about it much, but two weeks here. Will you be bored?"

Bill said, grinning, "Not if you provide surprises like yesterday in the swimming pool!"

Valencio laughed, "I heard about that. I think they just forgot strangers were about."

"Do you swim nude, as well?"

"Mostly, but we'll have to stop that now, I guess."

Dean said, "Personally, I thought it was great. It doesn't make sense to put on clothes to go swimming."

Valencio chose a couple of horses, and saddled them, then Honey for himself, and left Shona with Emma. The men seemed competent, and he gave no instruction, just leading off to the clearly marked beginning of the Heidi Track. "The Heidi Track goes on to a waterfall, and then a place we call the Deep Hole, but most of that is no more than a walk," he explained. "If you want a faster ride, we turn off and take what Shirley's named Gundarrson's Gallop, where I was working, and there's several small jumps."

Bill said to Dean, "I can do that, can you?"

"I guess," said Dean, uncertainly. "If the horse can."

"It's up to you. If you prefer, we can just continue along the track."

Dean made up his mind. "It was just that it's a long time ago. I'd like a canter."

Valencio said, "Just follow me, then," and gave Honey the signal for a slow canter. He led them carefully, and their horses followed easily. The highest jump was still less than three feet, and he stopped and said, "I've made a way around this one. It's up to you."

But both the men were enjoying it, and Dean said, "Over the jump, and maybe a bit faster?"

Valencio grinned, "Personally, my favourite speed is full gallop, but Carol would be cross if someone breaks a leg. Faster, though. We can definitely go faster," and he took off again, Honey, then the other horses taking the jump. He glanced behind, saw both the men still on top, and sped up.

They arrived home at a gallop, Bill and Dean both enjoying themselves.

"I was twelve, I think, when I last rode," said Dean. "But then we moved, and there was no more chance."

"Ask Gloria to take you out again, every day, if you want," said Valencio. "I'm not sure if she's letting people just take out a horse by themselves."

"Gloria's in charge?"

"In charge of the horses."

They helped unsaddle, and even followed Valencio's example, and started rubbing down the horses.

Bill nodded at Valencio's horse, and said, "That one was in a different paddock. Your own?"

"My wife's. I mostly ride the big one over there, but he doesn't understand much slower than a gallop. He suits me very well."

Dean said curiously, "There's so many women, and they seem to be all single."

Valencio patted Honey, ignoring the curiosity. Instead, he checked his watch, and remarked, "The students won't be home for an hour. If we go swimming now, you might not be as stiff tomorrow."

Dean grinned, "Will we get our swimmers, Vince?"

"Only if you want to. Next lot of visitors though, we'd best be better behaved. You're the guinea pigs."

A little later, he dived cleanly into the pool, followed by Dean and Bill. Three others of the male visitors found them, and then Jimmy and Clarence. Eight men, and the goal hoops already waiting. The game of water polo was almost inevitable, drawing an audience of women.

Farfalla looked her appreciation, and said quietly to Carol, "Next time, a few single men might be good."

"There were none answered the ad. And besides, married ones are less likely to pester Emma or Connie, for instance."

"Valencio's still happy to oblige now and then."

"Lucky Tasha doesn't object."

"I asked her, and she said she'd object furiously if it was an outsider, but we're a bit like family, and it's not like she's deprived."

"Nikola writes that she's going to be married, by the way. Also that Bridget has about five serious suitors now!"

"If I were younger, I'd apply for a job there myself."

Carol was very pleased. It was essential that the guests enjoy themselves, and they appeared to be very much enjoying themselves.

Two days later, Gloria took two self-styled 'expert' riders on a more challenging ride, resulting in a tumble. Luckily, the man wasn't much hurt, and only admitted that maybe he was not as expert as his wife. His horse was still close, and he was able to remount, and Gloria led them home a lot more cautiously. It was their first real mishap.

Mary and Connie led rides as well, gentle rides, suited to inexperienced people, mostly on the placid black ponies.

Clarence took a couple more excursions, Jimmy driving. Valencio was allotted money for the garages, but advised to wait until the visitors were gone before starting. Lockup garages for eight cars, and he was planning to ask John just to help with the heavy framework. He was at his home, they knew, and dropped in every few days.

To Valencio's surprise, he became one of the attractions for a few of the men, whom he allowed to play with his tractor, while he loaded the pickup tray with manure. It was a job he did every few days, cleaning the paddocks and horse shelters, now being used increasingly in the colder weather, and spreading the manure on Mildred's garden. There was no help picking up or spreading the manure, but there was always a volunteer to drive the tractor. Their visitors were from Glasgow, and relished the work in the open air, even when it turned colder, as winter set in. There would be no more visitors until the new year, and then only if they thought it worthwhile.

By the second week, Valencio was breakfasting with the visitors, as much entertained by them as they were by him. He was enjoying the company, especially now that Clarence was becoming involved with administration, and Jimmy seemed daily less interested in the future of Loch Lomand. Jimmy was becoming restless, wanting to return to the busier world he knew. But he still wanted Brigitta.

Thursday evening of the second week, he and Tasha were hosts for the evening meal. Allen remarked, "There are different people serving today."

Valencio explained, "Some of us have particular responsibilities, others are rostered. Serving meals is not such a wonderful job that anyone wants to do it all the time."

"Why are you all here?"

Valencio evaded the question, as he'd done earlier, only asking, "Can you think of a better place to be?"

The Glaswegian acknowledged, "Not offhand." They were curious, but it would be rude to persist, and their first visitors had enjoyed their stay, and liked their hosts.

"What are you doing tomorrow, Vince?" It was a standard question, and he often had offers of help.

Valencio said, "I'm planning on riding into Bogridge and putting myself in the hands of Veronica, who likes to practise hairdos on me." He grinned at them. "I believe I'm to be a redhead tomorrow."

"Your hair looks rather interesting at the moment."

"It's the remains of a mohawk. That was Angini. She loved doing it, loved the result, but she's more cautious now. Word spread, but she didn't like doing a gang of bikies!"

"Want company?"

"Sure. I'll have to ask Gloria what horses you can have, though. It's ten miles, so it has to be one of the bigger ones."

"Ten miles?"

"Probably shorter along the bridle track. It's good going. We use it a lot."

Dean glanced at Bill, "I'm game. What about you?"

Dean's wife said, "You haven't asked us!"

"It's a long ride..."

Sue nodded, and smiled. "You go, then. I think I might drive in. I'll visit the Frock Shop. They were talking about it in Duich, when we went there."

Tasha was very interested, and asked, "Who exactly was talking about the Frock Shop?"

"I overheard it in a coffee shop."

Tasha beamed. "Maliwan and Sheila will be pleased they're being talked about."

Sue said, surprised, "Are they of your group as well?"

Tasha said casually, "They still live here, but you may not have seen them."

The following day, three big horses took their riders to Bogridge, and were left loose on the small lawn behind the Frock Shop, as usual. There was a shelter there now, a horse trough, and even some feed. The horses were accustomed to this, and settled straight away.

Bill and Dean went with Valencio to the barber shop, and watched as she competently turned his hair bright red. "Just temporary," she said, "It'll wash out over the next few weeks." Valencio grinned at his reflection, and wondered what his mates would say.

Dean said, "Could you do me, as well?"

Veronica agreed, "No charge, as it's experimental."

Dean looked at Valencio, and said, "Vince's looks okay."

"Vince has black hair, so you might be a bit different, but I'm very happy to experiment on you."

Valencio looked at Bill. "What about you? Are you game?"

Bill gave a carefree grin, "Mandy will be horrified. I'm game!"

Valencio sat, stuck long legs out, put hands in pockets, and said, "We'll go to the pub afterwards, and see how many paying customers we can drum up."

His younger mates were not at the pub, but Joe Corbett, and a few of his older farmer friends were, and he created the impact he wanted. Three redheads were far more impressive than one.

"My wife would be appalled if I did something like that!" commented one.

"Do it then," suggested Valencio. "Add a little spice to life." But the grey-headed man declined, on the grounds that his Aggie had a weak heart.

Joe asked, "How's the truck going?"

"Sounds dreadful, but still goes."

"Are you interested in outside work?"

Valencio shook his head. "Too much to do at home."

Dean said, "He says it's really play, even when he's spreading manure."

Joe turned to Dean and Bill, "Enjoyed the holiday there?"

Dean answered, "Very much."

Bill said, "I thought I'd be bored, not being on my honeymoon like Dean is, but Vince made us work."

Valencio laughed, "They like driving tractors, but a little bit of honest manure, and they're fretting about being dirty!"

The women had both made purchases from the Frock Shop, and looked for their husbands. Sue grinned at her husband, "Work Monday, remember."

"She said it'll wash out in two or three washes."

Bill said, "Maybe you misheard. In two or three _weeks,_ she said!"

Dean groaned. Sue said comfortingly, "They probably won't fire you for it."

Valencio checked his watch, "Ready to go home? Or if you want, I can just take the horses, and you can go back in the car."

Not long later, Valencio gave Caesar his head, and his stride flattened into a speedy gallop, followed by Dean and Bill, on Nigretta and Kendrick. They were a lot slower by the time they turned into Loch Lomand, the horses not the only weary ones. But the men were able to say they'd had a very satisfying day, and the women were pleased they seemed to be too tired to ask about the cost of their new and exotic dinner dresses.

Dean mentioned to Sue later, "Alec Payne, he said something about the 'refugees.' He referred to the group here as refugees."

Sue said, "I asked a couple of times, but couldn't get any information."

"A good holiday?"

Sue smiled at her husband of two weeks, and answered, "Yes!"

"Vince is a character, isn't he? Just seems to enjoy life."

"I wish I knew what they were refugees from."

Dean and Sue were honeymooners, easy to please, but the other five couples were also pleased. The trial had gone well.

In the ballroom Saturday evening, they raked over the few problems that the visitors had posed, and discussed each of the suggestions made. Bernice would need to provide a vegetarian alternative to the set menu, though the woman who'd asked about it had waved away the concern. She wasn't a dedicated vegetarian, but she knew others who were. If they had more guests, then the big bus might be needed when excursions were offered.

Valencio said, "Allen pointed out to me that if we have children, we'd have to make the swimming pool building childproof."

Carol said she'd check the regulations.

Valencio grinned, and added, "And I don't think you can continue to swim naked, either, though no-one actually complained."

"Sue looked stunned, then cross, but Dean looked stunned, then smiled all over his face!"

Hilde asked, "Was anyone bothered?" and her eyes rested on quiet Emma.

Emma smiled. "I liked it. One asked me to show her how to paint, and I think maybe we could offer a painting excursion, and maybe some cheap painting materials, though of course, none of us are good enough to teach."

Inge said, "Some of the boys are doing carpentry at school. I bet it would not be hard to make a half dozen easels."

"I liked it, too," said Mary. "They all said how beautiful it was, and it made me feel good that it's ours."

Once they finished talking about their guests, Mary rose, and said, in a voice not quite loud enough, "While everyone's here, I want to ask something."

Carol hushed them, and said, "A bit louder, Mary."

Mary tried again. "You know I was planning to marry Gary McGregor. I want to ask if it's alright if we live here, because I don't want to go to Duich." She continued hastily, "I haven't asked him yet, and he might say no, but if we come here, Carol says we can have one of the cottages, and we'll eat there, not with everyone else, so you can still talk freely here, about John, or whatever."

She looked down, and finished in almost a mumble, "Only if it's alright with everyone."

Emma said, "We're having guests. It would make no sense to allow guests, and not your husband."

Others said the same, and Mary looked at Carol, who said, loudly, "If anyone has an objection, see me privately by Monday. Then if it's alright, Mary can start explaining to Gary why he'll have to commute to Duich every day."

Mary was red, and looking at the floor, but Connie put an arm around her, and whispered something, which made her smile.

Emma asked, "Are you and Ruby competing at Mount Ayr in February, Mary?"

The talk switched to the gymkhana, and Tasha said to Valencio that she, too, planned to go, and added, "I feel as if I have a little more time now. I'm managing better with school, though there's still so much reading to do."

_xdividerx_

Sunday, the moment Bellamy dropped in, Valencio went to him, "Just a few deep holes, as we haven't got a posthole digger, and put in the big timbers for the framework." He expected to be occupied for weeks, probably even through Christmas.

They were not seeing much of Bellamy, who was leaving them to their own devices. Quite frequently, there were stories about his activities in the Aniragi News, and in Pat's Mag, there was a large spread with photos, after an appearance at some sort of a social function. It included reference to the periodic attacks on his life, mentioned that he was in the habit of never giving prior notice of his moves, and that he never ate or drank at a public function, in case of poison.

They had a lot of information about John Bellamy by this time, not just what he'd told them, and what Jimmy and Bryce had told them, but Gloria had shared a couple of books about him, that she'd obtained from Bryce. Their curiosity remained. It was like he was a problem that they had to solve. He was so different from anybody else, yet he was still human. They still laughed about him getting so drunk at the New Year's Eve Party, still asked each other how he could ride so apparently sloppily, and yet laugh as he sat a bucking horse. A few hadn't quite forgiven him for marrying into the Khatabi family, but others pointed out how much happier he seemed these days.

Gloria, one day, took a horse box to a horse sale nearby, though she admitted they didn't need any more horses. To no-one's surprise, she returned with two, very thin, and looking quite miserable. Valencio helped as she settled them in Bluey's paddock, and made them a mash that might get them fatter. He said doubtfully, "Maybe they're just very old."

Gloria said tersely, "And maybe they're just half starved, poor things."

"Would you like me to call Cam over? He'd know."

Gloria smoothed the ragged mane of the grey horse, and said, "We'll ask him to come tomorrow. It's still blowing a gale."

It was still blowing a gale the following day when Cramsie McGonnigal closely inspected the two horses, had a look at teeth, and asked how old they were supposed to be.

"About seven or eight," Gloria answered.

"More like twice that age," answered Cam. "But they just look neglected, not sick. Could be Percheron."

Tiffany remarked, "Surely they're not broad enough to be Percheron."

"Far too thin, it's deceiving. That'd be my guess, though not pure-bred probably."

Valencio asked, "Do you think they'll be rideable again one day?"

"No reason why not," and he asked whether there was any history given.

Gloria shook her head. "Just grey mare for one, and dun mare for another. No names, no history."

Cam stroked the dun mare, and she moved, showing a severe limp. "They may have been used for draught work, of course, might never have been ridden. They won't be rideable for months in any case."

Cam took a close interest in their horses, and he looked over the others, especially the growing foals, before he joined them for coffee. They went to the ballroom, where Belinda played the piano, oblivious to those who listened or sat, quietly chatting.

Shirley and Deirdre entered, and called, "Brought the mail."

Deirdre was about to start calling out names to collect letters, but Shirley couldn't wait. "We got the jobs! Start 2nd January!" Even Belinda turned around at the commotion, and congratulated them. Two more shortly to be independent.

The weather became increasingly wild that day, and turned bitterly cold. Valencio left Gloria to tend to the feeding of the horses, though he usually helped. Instead, with the help of Jimmy, he tried to make the half built block of garages more solid to withstand the wind.

At last, Jimmy called against the noise of the wind, "This is ridiculous, Vince. If it blows over, it blows over."

Valencio nodded, not even trying to make his voice heard.

Helene greeted them with relief as they returned, and said, "Go and bring Gloria back. She's still with her new horses, and it's getting dangerous."

The men nodded, and bent again into the wind, as they made their way to Bluey's paddock. There was instant relief as they turned into the warm shelter, finding most of the horses seeming perfectly at ease. Madigan close to the mares, as usual, the three foals butting each other and playing closer to the entrance. The shelters were Bellamy's design, allowing the horses to come and go as they chose, and were heated by magic pretending to be electricity. Jimmy called, "Gloria?"

Gloria said, "I'm here. John, too."

There was a welcome, but Jimmy said, "Carol said we had to get you. It's getting just too dangerous outside."

Bellamy staggered as he bent into the wind, the problem with his balance showing in the extreme conditions. Valencio took up a place on his left, to help if needed. He was nearly staggering himself.

Bellamy received his usual warm welcome, and was brought up to date on the news. Valencio joined Tasha, who was sitting at a table, with a pile of textbooks in front of her. There were a couple of weeks off for Christmas and New Year, but there were still assignments to complete. Their teacher was making sure that those who wanted to go on to university, like Margaret and Ingrid, were prepared. Valencio picked up one of her textbooks, and started browsing, as he often did. He guessed he should really do the course as well. Maybe he could do more reading in the evenings.

Helene had been listening to the radio, and now raised her voice. "Full blizzard warning, so anyone in the houses or units had best sleep in the castle tonight, also if anyone has pets in their units, we should collect them now, before it gets any worse."

As usual, there were cats in front of the fire, and various dogs wandered about, as well. Ginger was there, two of her kittens lying beside her, though they were half grown now, and had new owners. Shona lay at Tasha's feet. Only one dog had to be collected, and Bellamy simply apparated, returned, and presented Sheri with her toy poodle.

The weather became even wilder. Bellamy entertained those around him by conjuring lurid clothing he said was for sleepwear, though hardly any wore clothing for sleeping. Dressing gowns, though, they thought they needed, and many of them happily accepted dressing gowns conjured by Bellamy, all with a large C on the back, and in vivid colours, with images as requested. Brigitta had blue, with a picture of her horse, Daybreak. Jimmy's was in the colour of his favourite baseball team. The weather outside was frightening, violent and dangerous. The great wizard played with the ones he regarded as his responsibility, first conjuring clothing, and then making images to entertain. Only Valencio had seen something similar, but Bellamy's images looked very real, enough that the animals bristled at the large dragon that scratched his ear, in the corner of the room, and Carol's dog flew at it, trying to tear apart the thing that wasn't there.

Bellamy said, "Sorry, dogs," and the image vanished. Instead, he responded to requests, but the images were flat, shown on the wall, like films.

The word went around that he was planning on staying the night, and there was a sigh of relief from Tasha. Valencio rose and went to the window, wishing he could see how his garages were holding up. As he watched, a large tree was torn from its footing, and fell over onto a footpath. There was going to be some hard work once the storm was over. The lighting went off, but John simply made more light, easily, effortlessly, and Valencio too, was glad that Bellamy was there.

"The phones are down, as well," remarked Carol.

Valencio regarded the great wizard with a crooked smile. Emma was sitting very close to him again. It must be nice to be trusted like that. He was leaned on sometimes, but only when John wasn't about. He was definitely a long way second best. Most of those who'd seen him in his days in Enclosure 1, still regarded him as a very shaky leaning post, though the younger ones had more confidence in him.

Bellamy went out again, but apparating. "To check on the horses."

When he didn't return within a half hour, Jimmy and Valencio started putting on jackets again, in order to search for him. It was snowing now, the snow blowing almost horizontally.

Bellamy reappeared, looking windblown. "A bit wild out there," he remarked, and offered to help make some heating for Bernice to prepare lunch if she wanted.

After lunch, Bellamy started quizzing them about future plans. University? For how many? Edinburgh was the closest large university, and he wanted to check whether each of the prospective students had suitable courses there. It was something he'd already been thinking about, it appeared, as he said that Paul Pickering was going to make an investment there for a few years - buy a boarding house, or even a motel, keep it as long as it was needed, with outside guests paying normal money, but free board for any of his medj that needed it. "As long as it's needed, then he can sell it, probably at a profit. But he'd need a manager, and that has to be someone with at least some bookkeeping knowledge."

Carol asked, "Can one of us do it?"

"Only if Paul and Dot think they're capable. Apply by all means."

Hilde asked, "Will we get any favouritism?"

Bellamy smiled at her, "Of course you will. Ordinary customers are just to help with expenses. The place is mostly to look after you."

Ingrid said, "I was frightened of being on my own. But that would be good."

Bellamy assured her, "There is no hurry to be independent if you don't want to be. If you still want to be a vet, and it takes several years, it's of no importance. And anyway, Narzu-Han is paying for you. Maybe you should do degree after degree just to make him pay for longer."

Ingrid said, "I've never even seen Narzu-Han."

"I just thought of you because someone told me you wanted to be a vet, so I told him he had to pay for it."

"Was he frightened of you?"

"Not that one. Shame he was Khatabi. He could have been a great wizard."

Valencio felt good. Of course Narzu-Han was a great wizard. Just unfortunate he'd been born into that family.

Tasha said to Valencio, "Next time you do a few ads, you won't have to drive in every day."

Valencio said, as he had before, "I'm better off here, and I'm useful here."

"I was reading Movie Weekly the other day, and it said how much Ben Bgorn made for his latest film. You're an actor, and could make that sort of money as well, if you chose."

Valencio tried to think of something to distract her.

Tasha regarded her hand, the thin, worn wedding ring the only decoration. "I'd like a circlet of rubies, I think. If you could earn money like Ben Bgorn, it would be a minor gift."

"I bought a chainsaw the other day, but I'll save up and buy you rubies next, if you like."

Tasha shook her head, "It's not rubies I want. It's just that I want to see you doing what you're so very, very good at."

Valencio looked at her, troubled. He had enjoyed acting, and he was good at it. But Loch Lomand was safe. Didn't Tasha realise he was damaged? He supposed he could try another few commercials, maybe. After all, he was a grown man, and there was little likelihood that he would be raped. The producer, that last time, all he'd had to do was to mention that he was married. Was Tasha right? Was he being silly, frightened of nothing?

The storm died down overnight, and in the morning, Valencio was called away from his inspections of a fallen tree lying across a pile of timber, to see a deer and her young one. She'd had a broken leg, Bellamy said, and had spent the night in the shelter of Bluey's paddock. The doe limped a little, as she trotted off. Then the wizard strolled about, repairing the broken swimming pool windows, and stacking fallen trees and tree branches. He was useful to have around.

They couldn't keep him, though possibly Valencio was the only one who didn't want to keep him. He was gone before lunch. Valencio was already gone, taking his truck into Bogridge to report to the electricity company just exactly where the line was down.

_xchapter endsx_


	25. Chapter 25

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 25__:_

By March, Valencio's hair was glossy black again, and normally cut. He'd taken a few of Damien's photos, and left them with an agent for possible acting jobs, but to his relief, there had been no contact since. He was perfectly happy to leave it like that, and hoped that Tasha would be satisfied that he'd tried. After all, he'd not been able to quote any experience or training, except for that series of commercials the previous year. Maybe no-one would want him.

They started having visitors again at the beginning of March, the beginning of spring, though it was still cold. There were to be a maximum of twenty at a time, to begin with. Carol was making use of Valencio, and he nearly always wore the yellow vest, had breakfast with the visitors, got to know them quickly, and they quite often joined him when he worked. He and Jimmy were working on a second block of garages now, and again Bellamy had done the uprights for them. It was not deemed urgent, as some of the guests were housed in the units, several now vacated, and they all had a carport.

Brian asked, "What are your plans today, Vince?"

"The farrier's coming. I'll be helping Gloria with the horses all morning probably."

One of the women said, "Shoeing? I've never seen horses shod."

"You can watch, if you like. But not too many, or we won't be able to move."

One of the men said, "I notice the ponies are unshod."

Valencio nodded, "We don't bother shoeing most of the Fell ponies, the black ones, that is - they're very hardy, and rarely go off the property. But Jock'll check their feet for us, and he'll do that first, before Connie takes out the gentle ride. Then the bigger horses, and those are all shod. Just a check, and do whatever's needed."

One of the women asked, "Do you mind if we take photos, Vince?"

"Photos of the horses if you like, or Jock. Preferably not me." He didn't have a strong objection, he was just a little concerned that he might be recognised, though he was quite sure the odds were against it. The projected advertisement for their holidays had not come to fruition, as they were getting sufficient clients with just a small ad in a Glasgow newspaper, plus word of mouth.

Three weeks later, Narzu-Han studied the photographs of the young man now called Vince McDonald. He saw him holding a horse, as an older man bent over one of the horse's legs. He saw him galloping another horse, bareheaded, wearing a broad grin, and looking over his shoulder at three riders who followed. He saw him studying the engine of a battered red truck, and he saw him with a shovel, heaping manure into a pile.

Narzu-Han looked up at the woman, and asked, "Did he seem happy, Feena?"

"He radiated cheer, and was very popular with the other guests. As I said, I had to be careful, as I saw him looking at me and frowning, and after that, I took care not to go too near. You were right not to send a wizard."

"Did you see Bellamy at all?"

"Just once, and then he was only there for an hour or so, and of course, I kept well out of his way as well."

"So there's no truth in the rumours that Bellamy uses them when he chooses?"

"Apparently not. There's still about fifty of them together, and while we were there, there was a double wedding. One of the oldest ones, Mary, and her husband, who are to live there, and a younger one."

"What about a young woman called Brigitta?"

"Going to school, wearing school uniform. A girlfriend often comes home with her, and she takes her riding."

Narzu-Han nodded. Abensur would be pleased. He wasn't going to tell him where they were, even though the initial clue had come through him. Valencio had to be protected. He dismissed Feena, and studied the photographs again. So Bellamy wasn't using the medj. He was almost a little disappointed. There was no excuse to take Valencio from him. He sighed. His boy was happy, but Narzu-Han was lonely. He'd organise monthly reports, just keep an eye on the boy without disturbing or upsetting him in any way. Feena would organise it, and she knew to be very careful. He'd warned her that Valencio had some telepathy.

xdividerx

It had been months ago that the girls had told Valencio they'd found him on the internet - just looking up his name. He yielded to temptation one wet day, and typed in his name, as they'd done. There were several sites, and he checked a few that merely mentioned the movies and the old award, one that had a particular section relating to his disappearance, and a mention of the reward, apparently still current.

Another, and Valencio saw an image, not of himself, but of Dean Blockman. And there was an appeal, addressed to Dear Valencio. Valencio was surprised. The emotional appeal was directed to himself, from Dean. But surely he'd never meant that much to the man. He read it again, and stared into the distance. Maybe he was not truly, unforgivably dirty. John said. But could he face anyone that knew?

Yet Joe and Anne Corbett knew, and didn't treat him any differently. Lily, too, whom he saw now and again with a couple of the women she was friendly with. Others must have a very good idea. Someone came in, and he flicked off the image and looked away, so that they didn't interrupt. Or see his wet eyes.

Dean Blockman. Maybe if he cared so much, he didn't have the right to keep the information from him. And Aunty Lexie. Where was she now? But there was no way he could face Aunty Lexie after what he'd been. Valencio didn't write to Dean, didn't communicate. But when a contact came from his agent, he insisted on a much higher payment than was initially offered. He needed to go to New York.

The small part in the advertisement went well, and two more afterwards. He refused the offer of a part in a television series, only putting the money in his account, still not quite willing to face the man from his childhood. There was a proposition put to Valencio by a fellow actor. He declined with courtesy, and without becoming either aggressive or afraid. There was no need to fear. The homosexuals he met from time to time were just ordinary men, without the desire to rape, and without the capability of overcoming the resistance of a full grown man able to fight. All the same, he resumed lessons in self-defence, and sometimes had sparring practice with Roddy or Glen, who lived locally.

Mid spring, and Mildred's garden was fully planted, with help from Gabrielle Barnes this time, Oliver's mother, who looked after the gardens at Bellamy's home property. Three generations of Barnes worked for Bellamy. The plants were provided for them, many from those same gardens. Perennials, as well as thousands of bulbs - daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, others. Mildred had a lot less time for gardening these days, but there were plenty of willing hands to help.

The months fled by, busy, happy. Life in the Khatabi enclosures seemed further and further away. Few spoke of it any more.

The end of June, and twenty-four students were given a certificate announcing the completion of the bridging course. Tasha declared she'd sleep for a week. "That last week before the exams - that was torrid!"

The girls would be going into the final year of schooling, and twelve had enrolled at Edinburgh University, to do their Bachelor of Arts. Ingrid and Adolfina, both wanting to be vets, announced that they would do as Andrea advised, take a few extra subjects, some with the school students, some correspondence, and maybe also, they could have some other animals at Loch Lomand. They thought they should get to know animals besides cats, dogs and horses.

Jimmy and Brigitta announced that they were planning to travel to America, to meet Jimmy's parents. Valencio, that night, lay on his back in his bed a long time. Tasha waited, and finally he asked quietly, "Awake?"

"I'm awake."

"I thought I might go with Jimmy and Brigitta. Do you want to come as well?"

"Are you going to see Dean?"

"I don't know. He's in New York."

After a pause, Tasha said, "I don't think I'll come. Mariabella is to take over management of the motel in Edinburgh, and I'm taking her job as housekeeper here. I want the time before she leaves, as there's things I don't know."

Valencio was relieved. He didn't think he could face Dean in any case. It would be even harder if Tasha was there. He was so silly sometimes. She might see him cry. He still couldn't look at old photographs of himself without becoming upset. It was a little like it was not himself. He was so terribly, terribly sorry for that poor boy he saw sometimes, who didn't know...

Jimmy and Brigitta were pleased to have Valencio's company on the trip over. He was always cheerful company, and useful, carrying luggage, and happy to run errands. There didn't seem to be anything on his mind, though he said he'd be leaving them a day or two after they reached the small town where Jimmy's parents lived, and would make his own way home.

Dean Blockman was busy two days later. His secretary suggested Valencio make an appointment, and he said vaguely, "Maybe another time."

Anna said, "If you'd only tell me your business..."

Valencio shrugged, "It's personal." He was already moving away.

"He's the managing director. He's a busy man."

Valencio nodded and smiled at her vaguely. He was relieved. He'd made the effort, and maybe he could forget the whole ridiculous idea. There might be enough left in his account to find a jeweller and buy a ruby ring for Tasha, even if it did leave him a bit short.

Dean came out of his office, a folder in his hand. He was frowning. It was a big account, and was at risk. Why did Iraq always need to be bribed? Maybe he'd best give up on the whole area, and stick to Europe where the bribes were more subtle, and didn't need to be nearly as large.

Valencio hesitated, looking at him. Dean Blockman. It had been twenty years, and he looked almost exactly the same. He'd liked most of his stepfathers, but Dean was like he imagined a father should be. Dean looked up, stopped and stared.

Valencio said sheepishly, "Hello, Dean."

Dean dropped his folder, wrapped him in a bear hug, and said brokenly, "Valencio."

Valencio had been afraid that he might cry, but it was Dean who cried, as Valencio patted him on the back, and said that everything was fine.

Anna was very confused, but then suddenly remembered. She'd helped make the internet site, a year and a half ago now, though the emotional honesty of the appeal was more recent. It had to be the poor little boy, whom Dean had refused to believe was long dead.

Dean was suddenly thoroughly embarrassed with himself, said gruffly that he was just a bit glad to see him, and glanced at his secretary, very busy at her computer. He said, still unsteadily, "It's Valencio, Anna. He came back."

Anna rose, extended a hand, very formally, and greeted him. "Vince McDonald," said Valencio firmly. "Please don't tell anyone."

"Vince McDonald. And a secretary knows to be discreet." Poor boy. She wouldn't tell anyone. If he was one of 'the survivors,' then he'd presumably been taken for prostitution, like those others Dean had spoken of - Jeremy and Damir. One called Pierre was thought to be a probable, as well, and was not listed among the dead. Would Pierre go back to his parents? Or would he be too ashamed, as Valencio must have been? It was a while now since the survivors had advised of those dead.

Dean said, "Anna, please cancel anything this afternoon. And if the Iraquis make contact, don't bother being apologetic. I'm tired of them."

Anna queried, "The account?"

"If it doesn't happen, it doesn't matter."

His stepson, who'd made his mother let him go home to Italy, and just a few days later, he'd been running, as if the devil was at his heels, the policeman had said, and then he was gone. But there had been something in Hollywood as well, when the little school had been 'inspected.' It had been the day that Valencio had left for Italy. Had he nearly escaped? But they'd gone after him, and taken him anyway. Valencio, bright, active, highly intelligent, who may have manipulated his mother, but seldom for trivial things. Poor Caprice, who never had been able to see past the appearance of things. Valencio didn't inherit his intelligence from his mother, that was for sure.

Valencio just waited, unsure what to do next.

Dean said, "You're to come with me to my club, Valencio, where we can sit and talk for a while."

"Vince! Please call me Vince. Valencio is dead."

Dean thought that he'd have to admit who he was if he wanted to claim the Trust Fund, or his inheritance, both of which he was trustee for, but he'd leave business until later.

Only when they were seated in a quiet area of a large and luxurious rich man's club, did Dean ask, "What are you doing now, Vince?"

Valencio told him about Tasha, then that there were others. "Still forty of us together, one other man, the rest women. Most have made contact with relatives. A few have been disowned for what we've been. Tasha writes now and then to her parents, but neither they, nor her brothers, seem to want to see her. Clarence has no intention of telling anyone he's alive, and anyway, he's a lot older than I am, and his parents are dead."

Dean said, "It's wicked to turn away from someone for something one has no control over."

Valencio shrugged. "People judge. And it would be a lot worse for a man than a woman. How would Caprice have welcomed me back?"

"She had friends who were homosexuals. She didn't condemn them."

Valencio said sceptically, "Her own son? Very bad for her image."

"How long have you been back?"

"Over two years. There was no escape, but the family declined in power, then there was a change of leadership, and a man came and got us out. Still looks after us, owns the property, though we're self-supporting now, or nearly so. A lot have jobs, a few of the younger ones have allowances from their parents."

"Where do you live?"

"We made a decision that no relatives would be told. We can't be pestered by police or reporters."

Dean asked, "What if the culprits could be punished?"

Valencio smiled, as he looked into the distance. Dean shivered at his expression. What if he could napalm the whole compound? The Japanese one as well? All those who'd used him. But some were already dead, and it would never happen again. John was married to their leaders. Valencio finally shook his head regretfully. "There are ones I'd still kill if I could, but it's not practical, and relatively innocent ones might also be killed. Anyway, I probably couldn't even find it again."

"One of the Arabic countries?"

Valencio nodded, and said, "For many years, of course, I was just a servant. It was only a couple of years when I was a boy, that it was sex."

Dean looked at him, thinking, _How could you submit?_

Valencio answered the thought. "There was no choice in the matter. And once someone stopped fighting, they didn't get hurt."

Dean was looking at the table, and there were tears in his eyes again.

Valencio said briskly, "Anyway, it's all over now. I play farmer, I have toys like a tractor, and a truck that's always breaking down, and a chainsaw..." He smiled at his stepfather, and said, "Boy toys. We have horses too, and dogs and cats." He started talking about Shona then, who was so remarkably intelligent. And Caesar, who liked to gallop.

He'd stopped worrying about the past, and entertained Dean with an account of Madigan vanishing with Emanuelle, returning ten days later, the mare in foal. "Only one this time. Last time he did something like that, four mares went with him."

For the moment, Dean put away his unhappiness at the little he'd been told, knew it had been a lot worse than had been implied, and allowed himself to be entertained. They were talking easily, and Dean ordered a lunch for them both. Valencio cast his eyes around once, and said, "You do realise your reputation will suffer. They're assuming your tastes have changed."

Dean glanced at one of his acquaintances, who was looking speculatively at the young man with him. He shrugged, and said, "Some rich men, often the older ones, look for variety. But this club would shun anyone who used boys, for instance, or girls too young."

Valencio said grimly, "Anyone like that, they should not be shunned, they should be destroyed."

Dean said lightly, "One could get into trouble doing something like that."

Valencio was silent. Maybe he should not have come back. He moved restlessly, and Dean said, "Are there to be more kittens for your Ginger this year?"

Valencio shook his head, told himself he was being silly, and spoke about Susiya, whom everyone but her owner, still called 'Ugly.' He grinned crookedly at his stepfather, "We tend to have a different viewpoint than others. Ugly is good. Ugly doesn't get you into trouble."

Dean looked a little sadly at Valencio, and asked, "Do you still find problems?"

"Approaches from men, do you mean? There have been approaches, and the first one upset me so badly, I punched at him, but he ducked, luckily. I've learned to turn them down a bit more tactfully now."

"You were away a long time."

Valencio nodded. "Tasha and a lot of the others did a special bridging course for people who missed some school, and still want to go onto further study. We had school where we were, one of the older ones teaching the children, and all of us teaching each other, as well. Like, I taught Italian, and learned Greek and German."

Dean asked quietly, "The children?"

"Not small children, teenagers mostly." He finished hurriedly, "Anyway, all I started off to say was that we tend to find unexpected gaps in our education. No TV, no films, no newspapers, so no current affairs. The Korean crisis, that didn't quite turn into a nuclear war, for instance. We knew nothing of that."

"That was a big thing. Amazing - that all those thoroughly tested weapons, when it came to the crunch, just didn't work. In the end, they went back to the negotiating table, out of sheer frustration, I think!"

Dean was working at it. He hadn't missed the times when Valencio had seemed to withdraw from him, and all through lunch, he took care to keep the conversation on impersonal subjects. The Korean crisis, which he knew more about than had been in the book that Valencio had read, other crises, that Valencio had never heard of, the difficulties of dealing with the Arabic countries, advances in computer technology.

Valencio finally asked, "I heard that Caprice was dead. How did she die?"

"Just a ridiculous accident. It was only a short time after she divorced me, and remarried. A party, too much alcohol, drugs, too little sense. They tried to cross a flooded road, and the four in the car all drowned."

Valencio nodded, and asked, "Lexie Carmichael? Do you know where she is now?"

"Dead as well, I'm afraid. Cancer, I heard."

"Auntie Lexie. I could never have faced her again. She loved me, I think."

Dean nodded. "She was distraught. Always badgering me for news. I had private detectives looking, but there were no clues."

Of course there were no clues, not with magic on the side of the bastards! Valencio was silent a moment, before saying, "It means that you're the only one left alive who would be likely to recognise me. And I would not have expected you to."

"It was only a couple of years, but I became very fond of you. The other trustees suggested you be declared dead and the Trust wound up, but I refused."

"To claim either would mean I'd have to admit my identity. I'm Vince McDonald now, and can prove it. I think it's time to say that the boy is dead."

"There's a great deal of money involved. Not just your own, but Caprice had generous settlements from most of her husbands. He smiled, "She was good at finding rich men!"

Valencio shook his head. "I don't want to be wealthy. There's far more important things in life."

"Considering having children?"

"Tasha would like to adopt, but the waiting list's too long. So we'll have to be satisfied with cats, dogs and horses."

"Tasha can't?"

Valencio shook his head, briefly.

Dean said casually, "The trusts have waited all these years. They can wait a little longer." When an old fan, or maybe an old friend recognised Valencio, he'd lose his anonymity. He might be willing to accept the money then. His looks were too unusual. He would eventually be recognised.

Valencio said, "You might like to drop the reward though. I'd prefer not to be exposed."

"I could contrive to pay it to you, without exposing you."

"Too difficult. It's better if the boy is assumed to be dead." Which he is, Valencio thought.

"Have you done any acting?"

"Tasha wants me to, but I prefer the farm work. They're nearly all women. They need me to do the heavy work."

Dean shook his head, "I never thought of such a future for you!"

"I never thought of it for myself, but it's a good life. I'll do a bit more study this coming year, not the full-time course Tasha did, but a current affairs course that runs in the evening. I can patch up a few of the holes."

"How many languages do you speak now then?"

"Several, though only Italian, Arabic and English fluently. Conversational in Greek, French and German, as well, and a smattering of other languages."

"It would be easy enough to find a job with a company such as mine, then."

"With little formal schooling and no qualifications? And even my looks, that'd be a drawback."

"You'll get tired of being a farmer."

Valencio shook his head, and looked at the table. "Tasha wants us to leave home. She thinks I could be a film star if I just indicated my willingness. But she should know, more than anyone. I'm too damaged. If that fellow over there became too pushy, I could lose my temper and knock him out. I could kill, and wind up in gaol, back where I started. I couldn't stand being in a prison again."

Dean said, "Are you having dessert?"

Valencio's face was red. How was Dean getting him to talk more than he should? He said, "I would like dessert." No more betraying himself, and he began to talk lightly of baseball, which seemed to be such a craze in America.

Dean went along with him. It was Vince now. Talking of Valencio might mean that he'd lose contact again.

The talk was light and entertaining for the next two hours, and never once veered onto the personal. Valencio finally thanked Dean for lunch, and said he had something to do before the shops closed.

Dean said, "Would you object to my presence, Vince?"

"Of course not. What I need is a jeweller, not too expensive. Tasha wants a ruby ring."

Valencio's Tasha had expressed a desire for a ruby ring, Valencio's plane ticket home was already paid, his room for the night was paid, and he reckoned he could hitchhike home from London if necessary, and make do without expensive meals. He bought Tasha the ring, pleased he could afford it, and then allowed Dean to buy a gift for her as well, though firmly declining one for himself.

Dean didn't press, worried that Valencio might never contact him again if he made a wrong move. It had taken over two years as it was. But Valencio provided him with an address, even though only a London Post Office address, and said that he should let him know whenever he was in London, and he could come and visit.

Dean went back to his office when Valencio finally left. He couldn't talk to anyone but his secretary about Valencio. She listened as Dean told her that he was entertaining, and full of life. And then he said sadly, "He didn't want to talk about it, of course, just said that when you stopped fighting, you didn't get hurt. He pretended it was not so terrible, but then later he said that a man who had sex with boys or little girls should be destroyed. And he meant it. My poor Valencio. I think they probably hurt him very badly."

"He nearly just went away when I suggested an appointment. So close - just that you happened to see him when you came out."

"I'll leave it a few weeks, invite him to join me in London for a tour or something. Something that might tempt him. I can write, but I have to hope that he'll answer."

At home, Tasha pretended to be thrilled with her ruby ring. She liked it - it was inexpensive, but had charm, but she thought that Valencio had missed the point. It was not material things that she wanted. What she wanted was seeing him where she thought he belonged - among the rich and famous - a film star. And herself, his wife. She wanted to feel important, to be looked up to for a change. Feeling so vulnerable for all those years, so insignificant in the minds of their masters - expendable even. And then her mother hadn't even replied to her latest letter, and one to her youngest brother had arrived back, 'address unknown,' which she doubted.

Tasha was bitter. She'd tried so hard to be brave all those years, and her family _should_ welcome her safe return. She thought Valencio didn't understand.

Valencio understood better than she guessed. He remembered now how much he loved to act. There was seldom much acting involved in those few commercials he'd done. There had been not the slightest problem when he'd travelled to New York, returned to London, and part walked, part hitch hiked home. He wondered again if he was just being a coward, and the next advertising job he was offered, all he did was insist on a rise in promised pay, and accepted. It was a lot easier that time, as he stayed in the Edinburgh motel that Mariabella was already managing for those who would be going on to university. Lucy had moved in, but Eva was in her own small flat, and considering marrying her landlord.

Narzu-Han's spies didn't know why he was interested in Vince McDonald, they just knew they had to be absolutely discreet, and certainly could not risk harming him, even by making a memory change spell. So far, three different Ania had done the job, just booking in for a few days, and doing their checking mostly by casually questioning the other visitors. The last two had booked in to the units, opted to have breakfast and lunch by themselves, and only joined the other visitors for dinner.

Galina listened to the conversation. There were 'hosts' present, wearing bright yellow shirts and name badges, Hilde and Kaede. Twenty-five visitors, including a scattering of singles. Malcolm was laughing. "He said it was easy, told me that loading hay-bales was fun. And now my shoulders are killing me."

Alec grinned at him, "It's fun if you get to drive his ridiculous truck, and you have to admit he didn't suggest any of us might actually lift bales!"

Kaede asked, "Why is the truck ridiculous?"

"Just that it came out of the ark, but when I asked why he didn't get a new one, he said he likes his truck. He gets to fix it at least once a month!"

"He's a character."

"Dave said he was a bloody lunatic! He said he was just talking to Emma, the one who's always off painting, and suddenly Vince was beside her and looking like murder. Dave was going off to pack. He said he was demanding a refund."

"Is that right, Kaede?"

Kaede said calmly, "Dave Lowen left early. We gave him a refund."

One of the women asked, "Is Emma alright?"

"She was a little upset, and from now on, one of the men will be closer in case she needs help."

"She seems very shy."

"Too shy for men who can't take a hint," Kaede said flatly.

Valencio never saw Galina, and didn't know he was watched. Narzu-Han had his monthly report, pleased that his boy was happy. He was still looking after Valencio, at least in his own eyes.

Valencio finished getting in the grass hay, less than there was the previous year, as there was not such a need for economy. Loch Lomand was paying all its own running costs, Bellamy was no longer subsidizing them, and the income from the Loch Lomand Trust was now devoted to startup costs for new businesses, or new jobs, as, one by one, they became independent.

The new motel in Edinburgh was making an initial profit, but that would soon reduce when twelve rooms were taken up by students, who would need their allowances, as well as their accommodation and meals.

There were several who wanted to stay at Loch Lomand permanently - Belinda and Emma, Clarence and Bernice, and several of the older ones, including Mary, and her husband, Gary.

_xchapter endsx_


	26. Chapter 26

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 26:_

Valencio's agent in Edinburgh looked closely at the summary of new films looking for actors, and wrote off for a more detailed description of one particular one. Laurie Klein felt that Vince McDonald could be a goldmine for him. Agents were paid on commission, but Vince was so choosy, not seeming to care in the slightest if he was passed over for an actor who didn't demand as much money for his work. He'd already turned down parts in two dramas made for television, as well as a series that most actors would give their eye-teeth for.

But _Son of Satan - _it was made for him! They wanted an unknown, they wanted a man of extreme good looks, and he would share star billing. The hero would be a well-known actor, almost certainly, and Laurie had heard that Jean-Pierre Dequienne was to be offered the job if he was available.

Laurie tapped his fingers on the desk, before making his decision. He selected a few photographs of Vince, made a note that he appeared a very accomplished actor, and sent it off. He didn't consult his client. Vince claimed to have no interest in movies, but Laurie thought that if only he read the script, he might be tempted.

Mid-August. There was interest, it appeared. Laurie rang the casting director, and spoke to her personally. That Vince appeared to have enormous talent, that he was half-hearted about an acting career, and would probably decline a part in a Hollywood movie. But he might be tempted. Laurie suggested that if Sylvie was interested in the man, maybe she could come to Edinburgh, and see him as he worked on an ad.

Sylvie was intrigued, as Laurie had hoped she would be, and when Valencio did his part to advertise a fashion store, she studied him. Where had she seen him before? Laurie said that all he'd done was a little work in advertising. But his casual competence indicated to her a greater experience than that stated. A thought struck her, and she stared. Could it be?

Valencio looked around at her, and frowned. Sylvie Staines, who'd worked with him on _Summer in Rome_. She'd been fourteen, and he'd been eleven. She wouldn't know him from that - he'd been just a child. Vince McDonald turned back to the one directing the scene, and when instructed, did his confident stroll down the set for the fifth time. The other actor satisfied the director that time, and the scene was done.

Valencio had to pose a few more times for some additional footage in case of need, and then he was finished and disappeared to change. Another job done, and he and Tasha could afford to visit London without imposing too much on Dean, who was offering to have them as his guests for three days.

Sylvie left a script with Laurie, who read it himself, and then sent it, but cunningly addressed it to _Tasha_ and Vincent McDonald. He had a shrewd idea that Vince's wife might be very keen to go to Hollywood, even if Vince, himself, was not. He'd taken care to be very charming to her, the one time she'd been with Vince when he dropped in.

Sylvie, meantime, found some old pictures of the missing child actor, compared them with the recent ones of Vince McDonald, and decided that she was almost certainly right in her suspicions, even if birth dates didn't match. Naturally, he wouldn't want it known. From the start, it had been assumed that Valencio had been taken for sex, and probably murdered afterwards. She would not tell anyone, and he'd only been a child. It might never become known.

She spoke enthusiastically about Vince to the producer, who agreed that they would offer him expenses to audition in Hollywood, or, alternatively, would make a special trip themselves to see him audition in Edinburgh. Sylvie preferred the latter alternative. No point reminding him of the drawbacks of Hollywood life.

Meantime, Valencio, Tasha and Dean were in London, going on tours hosted by Dean, eating out, sometimes at Dean's expense, sometimes at their own. They did errands, such as leaving a list of books with Lesley Bellamy for urgent delivery, and visiting a fabric shop. Amreeta's designs had been accepted by a major fashion house, and she was currently designing a new range.

They found an exclusive boutique, and showed Dean the finished clothing as designed by Amreeta, with the result that he bought three gowns for his current girlfriend. When asked the size of the recipient, he said, "Skinny. All the young women in New York are skinny. A bit of a shame, really."

Valencio grinned at him, and suggested, "Maybe you should look for someone older than twenty!"

"Cynthia is nearly thirty," answered Dean. "She suits me fine." Dean was well into his sixties.

The three days passed, and Tasha and Valencio took a train to Edinburgh, stayed a night at the Loch Lomand Edinburgh Motel, and arrived back, with barely any more money than before Valencio had done the advertisement. The next time Carol said that they should take a larger portion of their wages for their work at Loch Lomand, Tasha firmly agreed. They had full-time jobs, and needed to be paid a little more than they'd previously accepted.

When the package arrived for Tasha and Valencio, Valencio was off somewhere, and just as Laurie had hoped, Tasha opened it. She read the covering letter very closely. The studio would arrange an apartment in Hollywood for them if Valencio was chosen, and they decided to accept. Tasha didn't know whether or not that was unusual. They'd come and see him audition in Edinburgh. She was sure that had to be unusual. The part that Valencio was to be considered for, was to be the Son of Satan, name of character Essan Pandragon.

Tasha didn't worry about leaving her current job of housekeeper and host. Kaede, Kwai-Jeeha, Mary or Connie could all do it perfectly easily. She gave careful consideration to the best way to tempt Valencio into accepting the part. That director named. His most recent, she thought, must be _Pie in the Sky_, which was a very big, very expensive, and very successful film. Filming expected to take about six months, expected pay - and Tasha shook her head. Of course Valencio should be an actor. He had the talent, he loved it, and they could be very rich.

She took herself to a quiet reading room, recently comfortably furnished, high up in a scarcely used part of the castle. She settled down to read, at first distracted by the acting notes, but soon became totally involved, and was late for dinner.

Valencio came in late as well, after a day helping Joe with his shearing, and simultaneously entertaining two of the visitors. They enjoyed the novelty, though they were currently being soundly rebuked by their wives, and sent to change out of clothing that smelled distinctly of sheep. Carol smiled on him, and said that he did a wonderful job.

"Lucas and Heinrich, you mean? They liked it, even when Heinrich skidded on wet grass and fell in a pile of dung."

Gloria remarked, "The children are a pain in the neck. I don't think we should encourage children."

Connie contradicted her. "Nonsense. It's so lovely to see them enjoying themselves."

"They won't keep out of Bluey's paddock, and that imp of Satan, Kane, he'll get himself kicked one of these days."

Connie suggested, "I wonder if Dot could put child-repelling crio-magic on the fences."

"Good idea," said Gloria, tersely, and started to talk about the gymkhana she planned to go to on Saturday. She and Margaret were the only ones who still bothered, aside from the girls.

"Do you want me this time?" asked Valencio.

"I'd appreciate it. You're useful."

"What about guests?"

Gloria shrugged, "Any adults I don't mind. The ones with kids, as long as they keep away from us, just watch from ringside. That'll be alright."

"I'll mention it at breakfast."

He enjoyed the company he attracted. Several times, women had indicated their availability, but they were never pushy. He'd simply let a reference to his wife enter the conversation, and that had been sufficient. Just once, a young man had made a cautious and subtle advance. But again, all that was needed was a reference to his wife. Valencio thought he was no longer 'a babe in the woods.' Ordinary people were easy to get on with, not like wizards.

Tasha was very quiet, and went off again afterwards. She wasn't finished, and thought she might read it again the following day. All she did was ask Valencio to keep Wednesday free, as she wanted him to do something for her. Valencio looked at her surprised, but Tasha said nothing further, and after a brief hesitation, he agreed that he would keep Wednesday free.

"You won't need the yellow vest that day," Tasha added.

After a pause, Valencio said, "There's another half day's shearing at Joe's place tomorrow, and he said he wouldn't mind if there were children, as long as they were not small children."

Gloria said, "So you think you can get Kane out of my hair?"

"Maybe. He's kept clear of me so far."

The following morning, Valencio mentioned casually, that kids older then eight could come and help with some shearing if they wanted, but they needed their parents' permission. Kane looked hopefully at his mother, who nodded. Kane was nine.

"You'll have to do exactly what Vince says, of course," his mother said.

"Of course," Kane answered, looking the picture of innocence.

Valencio grinned to himself. Of course. He asked, "Anyone else?"

The others glanced at the freckle faced boy, and declined. Valencio looked back at Kane, and asked, "Ride there, or drive there?"

"Ride? And then when we're finished, we can gallop home."

Valencio nodded, and said to his mother, "We'll probably be finished by lunch, but if we're not back by then, it's just that Anne has asked us to eat there."

Kane's mother said cautiously, "Gallop home?"

"A slow canter, maybe," and he chose Honey for himself, rather than Caesar, checked Gloria's list of available horses, and gave Kane a choice.

Kane was full of questions on the way over, fell in love with the black mare he'd chosen, 'Sparks,' and happily swept shearing boards, hunted sheep, helped tidy fleeces, and chattered to Valencio all morning. He was well behaved, and declared that he wanted to be a farmer when he grew up.

They ate at the Corbetts, and Joe pleased Kane immensely by mentioning that he'd been useful. Kane turned to Valencio then, and asked, "What are you doing this afternoon, Vince? Can I help?"

"You can help if you want, and your mother agrees, but it's pretty boring. Mildred has asked me to dig up a garden for her and spread manure."

Kane grinned and said that he liked manure.

Joe laughed. Just like Vince, in fact, who still seemed happiest when he was filthy.

In the afternoon, Kane used his overflowing energy by learning to dig, economically and effectively, chattered nonstop, about everything under the sun, and declared he was having a wonderful holiday. His tired mother swam, lounged in the weak sunshine, and read a book. She was beginning to have a wonderful holiday as well.

Afterwards, Valencio looked at the boy's clothing, and suggested he could take an outside shower. Emma was close, and he asked her to find Kay Stevenson, and ask for a change of clothing for Kane, and a towel. Kay brought them out herself, slightly worried that Kane was in trouble, or maybe Vince might do something inappropriate. But Kane only said a brief thank you, and disappeared into the external shower, as Valencio leaned against the wall outside, and offered to wash out his clothing if she wanted. "He's filthy, and he's a great little worker. He's helped a lot today."

Kay smiled, "He's a great kid, just that he has so much energy, and we live in a flat."

The child came out, scrubbed, and beamed at Valencio. He was a 'great little worker,' Vince said so. He asked happily, "What are you doing tomorrow, Vince? Can I help?"

"My wife says I have to help her tomorrow, but she didn't tell me what she wanted."

Kane asked, "Do you always do what a woman tells you?"

"Mostly, especially if it's my wife. It's much the best policy in life, I reckon."

Kane was silent. His father, whom he visited once a month, didn't think that a woman's request even counted. He asked, "The day after?"

"I don't know yet, but will you still be here Saturday?"

Kane nodded.

Valencio said, "Well, there's a gymkhana on, and if you want to, you can come to that. But you'll have to keep clear of any of the horses I say. Madigan, for instance, the big black one, doesn't like some people."

"Gloria yelled at me when I was patting Madigan."

Valencio nodded. "Bluey's paddock contains three yearlings as well, and young horses are not always docile. Like young people."

Kane said, "And the black and white one bites. I know that."

"So keep out of Bluey's paddock, and maybe we can go riding again Thursday or Friday." Kane beamed.

The following morning, he looked for Vince at breakfast, and asked Kaede where he was. Kaede answered, "He's not available today. But he told me you were easily a good enough rider to go on a ride with Connie, or a faster ride with Margaret, if you want."

His older sister said importantly, "I'm riding in the gymkhana. Brigitta and Inge are helping."

Kane said sceptically, "You can't ride!"

Carrie answered, "I'm going in the Joanna Greene Class, and someone's going to lead me. And I'm having Annie Oakley for that, and I'm going to ride one of the black ponies in the Pairs Class, with Brigitta on another. She says we don't really have much chance of taking a ribbon, but it's good anyway."

Kane said, "Mum, can I ride as well?"

His mother hesitated, and Kaede said, "The Joanna Greene Class if he wants, and you agree, but any others, he'd need to talk to Gloria."

Kane's sister said condescendingly, "I'll be practising with Brigitta, but you can watch if you want."

Kane slipped from the table, "I'll ask Vince."

He didn't find Valencio, pausing when he came to the section of the castle marked Permanent Residents only, and reluctantly turning away.

By the time he started searching for Valencio again, Gloria had agreed that he could ride Sparks in the Pairs, with Inge on Wentworth, who was of lesser quality, but similar size and colour. He found Valencio in the end, in a small room, furnished with little more than a bookshelf, a table, and a couple of chairs. Kane slipped quietly into the other chair, and after a while, picked up a battered paperback, and started reading as well.

Valencio was very deeply absorbed, seeing the story as he read. Seeing how he would play it. Maybe not quite as the notes indicated. He was a better actor than that, and could convey a great deal without any need for words. He was Satan's Son, it was perfectly obvious from the description of characters at the front, though Tasha hadn't shown him the covering letter, just given him the dog-eared collection of papers, and asked him to please read it. Kane watched him surreptitiously, pretending to read the book he'd picked up.

Vince lay the script down on the table, put his elbows beside it, stared up into the distance, and muttered lines. That would be the most difficult part, acting as if learning to speak, and yet not as a toddler learns to speak. Probably the director would have ideas. He looked down again, and turned the page, again saying a few lines out loud. He was very excited. He could do this. He couldn't wait to do this.

He took a deep breath, put the script back in his lap, and stretched out long legs, putting feet on the coffee table in a manner that had Kane opening his mouth. His mother would never have permitted that! Vince became absorbed again, and Kane wondered if he'd even been noticed. Vince wasn't wearing the yellow vest, and Kane knew that it meant he was off duty, and should preferably not be approached.

He sat quietly, patiently, as young Kane was so seldom quiet and patient. After a long time, he said, very quietly, "You're going to miss lunch."

He didn't repeat it, and at first thought that Vince hadn't even heard. But the words slowly penetrated, and Valencio raised his head, frowned at Kane, "What did you say?"

Kane said timidly, "It's after twelve. You're going to miss lunch."

Valencio smiled at him, "I would have forgotten."

"What are you reading?"

"It's a script for a film. I might try for a part, maybe." He explained a bit more then, and decided to eat in the guests' dining room. He wasn't finished reading, and wanted to keep Tasha guessing a while longer. If she chose to manipulate, at least he could keep her in suspense for a bit. He asked Kane, "Can you not tell anyone that I was reading a script?"

"Is it a secret?"

"Sort of. Though it won't be if I get the part. But right now, I really want it quiet."

"I won't tell anyone."

Valencio asked, "What have you been doing today?"

Kane chattered, Valencio appeared to be listening, but his mind was on Essan Pandragon. There was the other main part, the hero. It would need a very good actor to convey the concerned psychologist, put in a terrible dilemma.

Kane asked hopefully, as Valencio ate his lunch, "Can you take me for a ride this afternoon, Vince?"

"Tomorrow. I need a gallop by myself to clear my mind, and then I'll be reading again today. How about tomorrow, and we'll ride the Heidi Track?"

Kane agreed eagerly.

Valencio said, "Nine in the morning then, and anyone else of course, if they like."

Carrie said, "I rode it yesterday, with Mary, and I'll be practising again in the morning."

"Just you and me for the moment, Kane, and if anyone else wants, they only need to be there in the morning."

But then he finished eating quickly, routinely scraped his plate, left it on the tray, and vanished. Kane did exactly the same with his plate, to his mother's surprise. Maybe it was suddenly cool, just because Vince did it.

Tasha caught a glimpse of her husband on Caesar, but didn't see him again until dinner, and then he was talking about the gymkhana. Gloria had had approaches from two of the adult visitors, and now there were more horses needed, more practising needed. "There are others wanting to join in, as well, but few can ride very well, and we're running out of volunteers to ride in the pairs with them."

Carol asked, "Is there a Fancy Dress class?"

Gloria said, "I hadn't thought of that," and pulled a schedule from her pocket. "Adults' Fancy Dress, and a Children's Fancy Dress."

"Will we go and ask if any want to be in the Fancy Dress then? There's time to make a few simple costumes, and we'll keep those for others in the future."

Gloria said unwillingly, "We're going to a lot of trouble for them."

Carol replied firmly, "The better time they have, the more they'll recommend us, and we save money on advertising."

"I'll need extra help then, especially as I'm riding myself."

Mary said, "I'll help, and I'll take Ruby, and enter myself. She's almost a dressage horse now."

Gloria said, not laughing, "I've rarely seen a better trained pony, and you deserve prizes with her."

Mary smiled, "I know she's not a Thoroughbred or an Andalusian or even an Arab, but she's jealous if I ride a different horse."

Connie also offered to help.

"Horse boxes?"

"We can hire Tom's if necessary," said Carol. "There's a bit of money in the kitty now."

Amreeta asked, "Do you want me to design something for them?"

"If they're interested, but I know you're busy, and someone else will sew."

Tasha was looking at Valencio, feeling frustrated that she didn't have a chance to talk to him alone, and when he rose and left with Carol and Gloria, she sat back in her chair, fuming. He must know she was dying of impatience!

Valencio leaned back against the wall as Carol and Gloria asked just how many wanted to ride in the Glen Kay gymkhana, and spoke about the Fancy Dress, where contestants only had to walk their horses in a circle.

Amreeta looked at the gathering assessingly, and said, "I know. We could have all the men on the black ponies and they could be the murderous Mongol hordes."

Carol grinned, and agreed that it was a great idea. "Impractical though. We only have a few days, and we'd have to make fake weapons, as well as work out the costumes."

A tall man called Ennis asked, "That tall, skinny horse. Can he be ridden?"

"He's quiet to ride, just a bit old."

"Well, I could be Don Quixote, and we'll pad the wife a bit, and she can be Pablo, on one of the ponies."

Valencio wasn't listening, enjoying the thought of Tasha still in suspense. How long before she just grabbed him, and asked?

By the time the four visitors who wanted to be in the Fancy Dress were asked to be at the Sewing Room the following morning, he was staring into the distance again, seeing the opening scene. The large, soft egg, that split open, to reveal the back of a naked man. It should not be obvious at the start what it was, not until he started to rise to his feet. He laughed suddenly, out loud. He wouldn't even get to wear clothes for the first half dozen scenes. And then he frowned. It would need a very good director. He wouldn't do it if it was some amateur who'd make a hash of it. Forgetting that he meant to keep Tasha in suspense a while longer, he strode out the room, leaving the others staring after him in surprise.

Carol said, "Don't worry about Vince. Tasha's given him something to think about." Kane hugged his secret to himself. He knew what Vince was thinking about, and no-one else did.

Valencio found Tasha in the Ballroom, looking over the letter. Without preliminaries, he asked, "Do you know who's to direct?"

Tasha said, "Probably Hermann Schuster, Laurie said." She handed him the letter, and he studied it.

Tasha said, "So you're going to do it then?"

Valencio grinned at her, "When do I audition?"

Tasha hugged him, thrilled. A few others gathered around, hearing Tasha's excitement.

Valencio looked down at the letter. "They must want me. They're coming to Edinburgh for me to audition, that's unusual, and offering to organise an apartment - unless things have changed enormously, that's unheard of." He was looking at the letter again, and suddenly swore. "Sylvie Staines. She's casting director. She knows who I am. She must do."

Tasha said, "Surely that's unlikely."

"I would have thought so, but we were in _Summer in Rome_ together, and I don't think a total unknown would have them go to this much trouble."

Tasha said hesitantly, "Maybe she won't say anything."

"Maybe not. She was a nice girl." He smiled at Tasha. "Even at eleven, I was wishing I was just a couple of years older, so we could have been more than friendly."

"At thirteen?"

"Hollywood's like that. Children grow up fast. I didn't like it much, though I loved the acting."

Emma asked, "Will you be leaving then, Vince?"

Valencio looked at her doubtfully. Emma reassured. "I'm grown up, and I can look after myself. I don't need you."

"Films mostly take several months to make, and it's a major part. But this is home. Unless Carol needs the cottage for someone else, we'll come back afterwards."

Tasha cautioned, "It's only an audition."

Valencio grinned at her, "If they give anyone else my part, I might just get out my bits of glass again."

Gloria arrived in the ballroom with names on a piece of paper. She'd need to work out horses. There were enough good ones these days, as well as enough quiet ones, It was merely a matter of matching up, and making sure the visitors were happy.

Carol said, "I'll hire the extra horse box, and we need people to sew tomorrow, and preferably another rider to match up in a pair with Isobel."

Tasha said, "I can sew, and also be a pair."

There were other volunteers, other arrangements. Valencio was in the clouds again, optimistically deciding that Sylvie was far too much of a lady to mention his shady past, and no-one else would know him. He'd been just a child, after all!

A week later, Narzu-Han studied the monthly report. Valencio was popular with the visitors, and there was a nine-year-old boy who worshipped him, and followed him around everywhere. He appeared to be in an odd mood, sometimes abstracted, sometimes in almost hilariously good spirits. There were some photographs again, and he studied them. Saddling a big horse, and the note said, 'Vince and Gloria.' With a freckle-faced boy, 'Kane.' He was still helping wherever required, the report said, and spoke about a fashion parade, which he'd helped set up, but didn't attend, that he'd helped move several women to Edinburgh, and that he'd been active in setting up for a wedding. _A resident called Kaede is a civil celebrant, though I heard it was the first outside wedding she's done._

Narzu-Han looked back at the photograph of Vince and Kane, and suddenly remembered seeing a naked boy slave look at Adil with just that same look of adoration. He couldn't remember the boy's name, might never have known it. No. 54. He remembered that.

Narzu-Han put the photograph down. Valencio, who'd been taught to desire that which he'd hated. Was he now teaching another boy to want it? To look for it? It had hurt Valencio. He'd nearly died once, Narzu-Han knew, just losing the desire to live, and not eating. And that was besides the two occasions when he'd sliced through his own carotid artery. It was a miracle that each time there had been a wizard close enough to save his life.

He called Feena back to question her further. Was he ever alone with this boy, Kane?

Feena answered that he'd been just returning from a long ride with him, alone, when she arrived.

"How did they look?"

"I didn't go close of course, but I heard later that the boy had fallen off and hurt himself. Not badly, though."

"And afterwards? Did he still hang around Vince?"

"Not as much for a few days, but he was practising for a gymkhana, and afterwards, for the rest of his stay, he was always with him?"

Narzu-Han put aside discretion, and asked, "Could he have been using the boy for sex?"

Feena was surprised, "I didn't see any indications of anything like that. And his mother appeared quite happy to trust him!"

"So there were more times than once when they were alone together?"

"Probably. Kane was seldom with his mother or sister."

Narzu-Han dismissed Feena, and thought. Bellamy's pendreiya was still effective, though Narzu-Han had found ways around it. He must not hurt any person or animal, and he must not help anyone else hurt any person or animal. Maybe leaving Valencio to molest the boy, Kane, was helping him hurt someone else. Maybe it was his duty to take him back. Valencio would come with him, Narzu-Han was sure. He'd just have to appear, and his boy couldn't help himself, but would leave Tasha, leave his life, and come with him, Narzu-Han. It wouldn't be rape. Valencio wanted it from him, loved it from him.

He sighed. Narzu-Han knew that he was allowing his own desires to influence him.

A few days later, Kane was approached by Feena, who took him away from his companions, raised a wand, questioned him thoroughly, and told him to forget. As instructed, Kane forgot the questioning. Narzu-Han received the report, and tried not to be disappointed. He'd only been looking for an excuse. Valencio would never damage a boy, as he'd been damaged. Hadn't Yiko put a ban on any new boys being taken, for fear of Valencio going berserk?

The report he sent on to Abensur didn't mention Kane, just stated that he was well and happy, that Brigitta was starting her final year of school, and was doing well, as were the other two.

For the first time, Abensur learned that the girl he'd loved, was involved with a young man called Jimmy Rawlings. Jimmy Rawlings? Abensur creased his brow, and tried to remember. There had been a Jimmy in Enclosure 3, but he couldn't remember his surname. They'd never bothered with surnames.

_xchapter endsx_


	27. Chapter 27

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 27__:_

"I'm honoured," said Valencio, as he was introduced to Hermann Schuster, who would direct the movie.

Schuster almost sneered at the unknown. Of course he was honoured. He _should_ be honoured.

Laurie introduced Valencio to Sylvie then, and he remarked, "You were present when I did the last commercial."

Sylvie replied, "That's right, Vince. I came to see you when Laurie suggested you for the part." There was the slightest emphasis on _Vince,_ and Valencio knew, not only that she knew, but that she had not shared her knowledge, which was a relief.

Laurie Klein crossed his fingers. Schuster had a reputation for being impatient, sometimes rude and arrogant. The scenes were to be filmed, so there were cameramen as well, and the manager of the studio, falling over himself in pleasure at having Hermann Schuster visiting his studio.

Sylvie asked, "You've read the script?"

Valencio nodded.

"And you know the scenes I've asked for?"

Valencio nodded again, and said, "I'd like to do an extra one as well. Mary and Gary are here to help, just say the lines of the others involved."

Schuster said abruptly, "We're short of time."

Valencio said, "This could be a great movie. Not an ordinary movie. But it needs the right actors, and the right director. It's up to you, but offhand I can't think of another actor with the looks to do the part."

Schuster nodded gruffly, and ordered, "Get on with it then."

Valencio had the script in his hand, but didn't need it. He only specified the scene, paused a moment, and started. From the first sentence, Schuster took notice. This was no amateur. The second scene was completely different, and Valencio conveyed the initial surprise, and beginning realisation, as he looked at death. He finished, saying briefly, "Then he dies."

He looked up at Mary and Gary, and they rose, scripts in hand. There was no need for them to memorise. The audition was just for himself. Schuster watched closely, as did Sylvie. Her part would be finished once the movie was cast.

Valencio slipped off his shirt, and stated, "The first death, and he's nude, or nearly nude. The script was not clear on that part."

He nodded at Mary, who said, "Poor young man. No-one knows who he is, or where he's from..."

Gary cast a bare glance at the blindingly good-looking man who stared into space, his face vacant. He said the line, "Just some escapee from an institution. I don't know why you bother being nice to him. He doesn't know the difference."

Mary said softly, "He knows. Just because he doesn't appear to acknowledge us... He knows."

Gary said, "You're a fool." His voice was stilted. He took a step forward. "A tempting fool, but a fool," and he reached out to fondle, awkwardly.

Valencio just stood, unmoving, apparently unfeeling. Mary objected, vehemently, and Gary gave a very artificial laugh, and read, "No-one's here, and no-one will believe you. The idiot is scarcely about to testify!" He laughed again. "I'm the manager here, my father owns the place. You do what I want, or you lose your job."

He pulled her close, and started to fondle. Mary looked away, and stood still. The audience's eyes were drawn back to Valencio. Muscles were beginning to stand out on his body, and he slowly turned his head towards Gary, even beginning to tremble. The vacant expression was replaced by an expression of utmost malevolence, and he radiated tension, his eyes narrowed, focused on Gary.

Mary said, "Now, Gary."

Gary fell gently to the floor, taking care of his lame leg, put himself in a comfortable position, and lay still.

Mary stared at him, and then switched her gaze to Valencio, who stood relaxed, his face vacant again. She knelt, and lifted Gary's wrist. "Dead," she said, and stared back at the unmoving and mindless man.

Valencio said quietly, "Scene ends."

He looked at Schuster. "Well?"

"There is a lot of nudity. Do you have any objection to nude scenes?"

Valencio shook his head, but added, "I'm a bit sensitive about men wanting to fondle. Any doing that are likely to end up unconscious on the floor."

Schuster laughed. The warning was very clear. He asked the set manager, "Can we close down the area. I need to see him nude."

Valencio started to take off shoes and socks, and when instructed, slipped off jeans and underwear. Mary and Gary were still present, Mary unmoved, Gary staring everywhere but at the naked man, his face bright red.

Schuster walked around Valencio, his eyes half closed, assessing. "Little hair, luckily, no need to wax."

"Wax?" asked Valencio, puzzled.

"I expected that the actor doing this would need to be hairless, but what you have is fine."

"That's good," said Valencio, still wondering what on earth waxing was.

"What you will need to do is tan below the waist, or reduce the tan on torso. Even it up a bit. You must not have lines where socks have been, or noticeably pale buttocks."

"So I get the part?"

"Of course. You knew you would."

Valencio asked, "Who's the hero?"

"Jean-Pierre Dequienne, but he's not available until after Christmas."

"Tan marks are scarcely likely to be a problem by Christmas."

Schuster put out a hand, shook Valencio's hand, and said, "Welcome back."

Valencio opened his mouth, and shut it again. Surely Schuster hadn't recognised him as well. He looked at Sylvie, but she shook her head. She hadn't said anything.

Schuster said casually, "Sylvie will fix it all with your agent. Get the tan marks fixed up, study the script, and we'll be in touch closer to the date."

Valencio nodded, and Schuster said, a little abruptly, "Will you accept direction, Vince?"

Valencio replied, "I will accept direction, but would appreciate the chance to make suggestions when appropriate."

Schuster smiled, "The way you played that last scene was effective, and would be more effective with skilled camera work that put you into very clear focus." And he said, conveying his own excitement, "We'll get awards for this film, see if we don't."

Valencio agreed. With Schuster, with Dequienne, with himself, he reckoned that they'd get awards. He reached for his clothes. A cameraman quickly turned away. He didn't want to end up unconscious on the floor.

In the car going home, Valencio asked, "What's waxing?"

Gary looked at Mary, who shrugged. She didn't know. Gary explained, "Hair removal. Women do it, sometimes men, bodybuilders, for instance. As I understand it, a layer of hot wax is smeared onto the skin, allowed to firm up, and then yanked off, probably to the accompaniment of screams of pain."

"Well, I'm very glad I don't have to do that!"

Mary said, "You're going to do it then?"

Valencio smiled, "I can't wait!"

Mary said casually, "Laurie said I acted very well, and he wants to put me on the books."

"Not me," Gary said, laughing. "He said he'd never seen such a gentle dropping dead."

Valencio asked, "What do you think, Mary? It's terrific money, even just the commercials, as I've been doing."

Mary said uncertainly, "It would be a challenge."

Gary said forcefully, "As long as you don't flaunt your body to the world."

Valencio asked, "Is that what I was doing?"

Gary said tersely, "I wasn't talking about you, Vince. But Mary's my wife."

Gary was driving, Valencio in the back seat. After a moment, he said, "It may not come to fruition of course. Best if the visitors don't know."

_xdividerx_

The next report to Narzu-Han, in October, mentioned that John Bellamy had been there, stayed a few hours, and left. _It's the custom of Vince to join the visitors for breakfast, and mention expected activities, from feeding stock, to going to a nearby sheep show with his neighbour, or taking in a car for repair. Almost always, he winds up with a few visitors who like to do what he does, mostly men, occasionally women. He's very popular, and appears happy in his work._

Narzu-Han smiled. He was glad his boy was happy. Farm work, and he could be as dirty as he wanted. Narzu-Han stared into the distance, remembering him dreaming one day as Yiko stroked. It was the day he'd been upset because Yiko said that he had to have the Hinda-Dreay spell done every day. He'd thought that he wanted to be hairy. Narzu-Han smiled fondly, very, very hairy. He had a poster now, that someone had found in a medj shop, Valencio posed with a real cutlass, sitting casually on a big black horse. There were a few hairs on his chest, but he certainly wasn't very, very hairy. He was still beautiful. What was he now? In his thirties? If things had been different, Narzu-Han thought he would still have been using him.

Would he have still needed the Brieke-tei? He supposed he should have known. If Valencio had truly been willing, he would never have needed the Brieke-tei. Yet he'd always become so excited. Narzu-Han left early that day, in company with Feena. He hadn't had a boy, or a man, since Valencio. It was not that Valencio was male. Just that he was special.

As Narzu-Han joined Feena in bed, Valencio lay prone, and wished it was easier to read in this position. He was carefully covered with towels, except for naked bottom, exposed to a sun lamp. Tasha grinned at him, and said, "Everything costs."

Valencio grumbled, "It's even difficult to see the TV, not that there's anything worth watching!"

"Mary's ad..."

"We've seen it three times already!"

Tasha said, "Another ten minutes, but maybe we won't need to do it again."

"I hope not. From now on, I'll be covered, top to toe, whenever I step outside!"

Tasha sat beside her restless husband, and stroked his hair. She said, "The Mongol hordes looked good at Duich show."

"Six of them. I was surprised so many wanted to be in it!"

"Another cup for Gloria and Madigan."

"Madigan still jumped the fence and galloped straight to John when he came."

"He's still the real boss, in Madigan's eyes."

There was a knock at the door, and Shona sat up expectantly. Tasha opened it, turned and said to Valencio, "It's Gloria. Let her in?"

"If she promises not to laugh!"

Tasha grinned and opened the door. Gloria looked at Valencio, and laughed.

Valencio laughed as well, and said, "Well, you've seen me in worse circumstances."

Gloria shook her head, "Not recently!"

"Last week, when I broke an ankle."

"The healer was discreet."

"Better than plaster!"

Valencio asked Tasha, "How much longer?"

"Still three minutes, and just four minutes on your back."

Valencio sighed, and lay down his head. Gloria sat beside him, stroked his head, and said, "Young Kane's coming back, Carol told me. He wants to know if Vince wants him to help with shearing or anything."

"I daresay there'll be something. There always is."

Gloria's eyes roamed, and she said, "I've rarely seen you look so ridiculous."

"I wonder how the visitors will react after I'm in that movie."

"They'll love it, probably." Curiously, she asked, "Why do you have to be on your back?"

"Full frontal nudity, and a white penis looks just a touch silly."

Gloria laughed, "I've always thought a man looks slightly ridiculous nude, in any case."

Valencio was casual, "They'll probably soft focus or something. Schuster won't want an adults only rating, and full frontal in America still rates that."

Tasha finally switched off the lamp and instructed him to turn over, rearranged towels, and switched on the lamp again. Valencio said to Gloria, "Aren't you supposed to be engaged? You don't have to be _quite _so interested!"

"Pete and I are not engaged, just very good friends."

Tasha asked, "Are you planning on ever marrying?"

Gloria shook her head, "I like it too much here. I love what I'm doing, and the men who've proposed all seem to think I should move to their place."

"There's your pets, too," commented Tasha. "Mary and Gary have promised to look after ours."

"You don't mind Honey being used by visitors?"

"No, she's better ridden regularly."

Gloria asked, "It's all still on track then?"

"Filming starts 14th November, earlier than expected, a two week break for Christmas, and we'll come back here, then resume in January. The contract's signed now, and we're right to go."

"Wasn't there a hitch with the contract?"

Valencio said, "I crossed out all the bit about being available for publicity. They conceded in the end, and they're going to say I'm just a mystery man."

"Frightened of interviews?"

"That's right. I prefer to follow John's simple rule - no interviews, no autographs."

Tasha said, "I was worried you'd lose the job when you refused their demands."

"They wouldn't be able to find a satisfactory replacement, and they know it. They had no choice."

Tasha switched off the lamp, and said, "Can't risk sunburn."

Valencio sat up, and swung his legs over the side of the narrow table he'd been lying on. Gloria said, "You're still beautiful."

"It's why I'm the son of Satan. The idea is that Satan couldn't sire a man who looks just ordinary." Being 'beautiful' had shaped his life. There was no point denying it.

_xdividerx_

November's report to Narzu-Han stated that Vince McDonald was away on a job, and that Galina had not been able to discover what the job was without arousing suspicion. Feena told him, "They close through the winter months, so we can't book anyone in until March."

"Any alternative?"

"We could get someone in to the nearby town. He's well known there."

Narzu-Han nodded. "I'd appreciate that."

Schuster liked to film, as much as possible, in chronological order of the story, unlike most directors who filmed to reduce costs. Schuster had the theory that it made it easier for the actors to build up intensity when the story unfolded in logical order, even if overall costs were increased. So just days after Tasha and Valencio set up in their small apartment in Hollywood, where most of the filming would take place, they travelled together to a small Western town, and were housed in a hotel, now fully occupied with actors and film crew. They were both enjoying themselves, making friends easily, finding the local pub, and the actors and crew settling into work.

It was not always pleasant. The 'birth' from the egg, was preceded by Valencio's naked body being thoroughly smeared with a shiny, clear grease, and then it was difficult not to get dirt all over him. He then had to walk, still naked, along the highway and through the town, as people peeped from behind curtains, and hurried to get out of his way.

One scene had to be retaken, to Schuster's fury, when one of the local preachers tried to grab Valencio by the shoulder, telling him he was sinful. Valencio thought it could easily be incorporated, and just walked on, face blank. But then he was tripped, and swore. Yet another shower, and yet another coating of that ghastly grease.

Schuster thought that the reactions of ordinary people to the unexpected sight could never be duplicated, and the cost of possible fines for indecent exposure was budgeted for. So the cameras kept rolling, as people averted their eyes, and turned away, as others peeped, fascinated, children gaped, and were hurried away by their mothers.

Even when a few local lads egged each other on, and surrounded him, Valencio just walked on, as if unseeing. Only when one blocked his way and tried to grab genitals, did he suddenly lash out, fell the man, and walk on, face still blank. Schuster thought it was brilliant. Valencio was pleased. Knocking down the young lout demonstrated to a few of the crew that he could be formidable, and was not to be touched.

There was talk of a charge of assault, but Schuster simply offered both the local sheriff, and the young men, paid parts, which turned them instant allies. Who didn't want to be in a Hollywood movie?

The female lead arrived then, as her part would commence shortly, followed by Dequienne, the hero. They were to persuade the strange man to accompany them to their institution, and the woman, character name Katherine, was to become his fierce defender.

After two weeks on location, they returned to Hollywood, and work became routine. Jean-Pierre looked at Valencio with speculation, but didn't come close to guessing at his history. Valencio was working hard. He was in nearly every scene, and was involved every day. Tasha, on the other hand, was beginning to feel lonely and disillusioned. She amused herself shopping, sometimes watched, but was not involved, and while those directly involved in the film were friendly enough, others were not.

They returned home just before Christmas, finding that several of those who'd left, were also there for Christmas. Bridget and Nikola, almost the first to leave home, were both married, and seemed like different people, their home now in Paris. Like other married ones, they visited for a few days, and then returned to their husbands.

Valencio felt wealthy, and made a gift to Loch Lomand - heavy drapes for the whole of the South Wing Gallery. It was not only a matter of appearance, but the curtained windows would reduce the heating bill when visitors were there. While there were no visitors, the whole wing was left unheated.

Narzu-Han's December report reassured him that his boy was fine. The Loch Lomand refugees had organised a New Year's ball, inviting the locals, as a thank you for the welcome and help they'd received. Galina quoted one of the workers at the hotel where she was staying, "One called Vince McDonald. Divinely good-looking, and he just radiates life. I'd have him in a moment, no matter what he was once. But his wife's beautiful as well. None of us would have a chance."

Galina, herself, had seen him at the pub, looking happy, and laughing at a couple of the locals, who complained of the cold. "You live in the best place in the world," he'd claimed. "Just a little cold and wet maybe, sometimes."

Feena suggested to Narzu-Han that they could do without January and February reports, as Galina had been too conspicuous in the tiny town for no observable reason. Instead they would book someone into Loch Lomand for a few days early in March. There was an unexpected difficulty. Even though there were places for forty visitors at a time now, they were booked out until June. Loch Lomand holidays had become very popular. Narzu-Han was surprised, and asked why.

Feena said, "Well, the cooking's only adequate, but there are things to do, and the residents convey a little of their own contentment, I think. Vince is not the only one who's fun to be with."

"What did you do when you were there?"

"I went out one day with one called Emma, to a place where there were chairs, tables, and easels under a roof near a waterfall. There were six of us, and we painted." She smiled, "I had a nice time, though I'd never painted in my life before. There were two small ponies she used as packhorses, and most of us walked, but one woman rode a horse called Dragon Breath.'

"What else?"

"I bought some medj outfits at the Bogridge Frock Shop, that's getting a name. Designs by Amreeta, they had, and one of the other guests told me that's a top brand. Amreeta is one of them, though I don't think I ever saw her. Then they had what they termed picnic races. The one in charge of horses said that two of the guests were good enough riders, and could take part, and she gave them both good horses, one a black horse called Sirius, that was very fast indeed. I had to be careful, as Vince was there, riding a big brown horse, so I kept well out of his way. One called Farfalla has a camera, and people are given photographs, afterwards, of anything like that. So both those riders wound up with photographs as they crossed the finishing line."

Narzu-Han said, "You'd best book early from now on, so I can still hear regularly."

Feena wondered again why he was so interested in the young medj. Could Vince be an illegitimate son or something, that missed out on the magic?

Meantime, Tasha and Valencio were back in the Hollywood apartment, Valencio in the routine of acting, and Tasha wandering around, sometimes shopping, occasionally watching, and beginning to be very bored. Valencio was concerned at her discontent, but even if she regretted encouraging him back to Hollywood, he couldn't abandon the film halfway through. He finally suggested that she go home, and he'd just have to put up with her absence. Tasha agreed, "For a couple of weeks, and I'll come back. I'd miss you too much, otherwise."

Valencio said, "I miss home, miss the animals, miss the people, but it's different for me. I love what I'm doing," and he started to talk enthusiastically about Jean-Pierre Dequienne's work. "He's a true professional. He does it differently than I do. I just imagine it, and become it. But he doesn't get as involved, I think, yet conveys exactly what he wants to convey."

"Well, I'll come and see Dean tomorrow with you, then go home, but not for very long."

The film studio complex was large and sprawling. The actors and other workers knew the sitting areas, the bars, the different sets. Valencio had been familiar with it a long time ago, though there were a few changes since then. When there was a break in his work, as others did their parts, he became a regular user of the large indoor swimming pool, heated, as it was still winter. There was a gymnasium, as well, but he complained to Jean-Pierre that he was always having to fend off unwanted advances there.

"Men or women?"

"I don't mind women. They can take a hint. But the bloody men! Ben Bgorn. He thinks he's irresistible, obviously, and seems to think I can't wait to jump into bed with him!"

"Have you told him you're married?"

"He said he was, too. He said it was best if the fans don't know what his true tastes are."

"Probably why he changes wives every few years."

"Well, he's in the middle of a movie as well. If he won't take a hint, we'll both wind up with black eyes, and both Schuster and his director will be livid."

Jean-Pierre laughed, and said, "I know Ben. I'll mention it to him."

Valencio said, relieved, "Would you? I don't really want to have to fight."

Jean-Pierre changed the subject. "Worried about the sex scene?"

"It's a pivotal point of the movie, especially as Schuster's re-slanted it. It has to go right, but I think I can do it."

"Nikole's worried. She says she's seldom even done any nude scenes, let alone full sex."

"I'll promise I won't even connect, and anyway, she gets to wear shorts under the blankets, someone said, and I don't wear anything."

"Do you like her?"

"Of course. She's a nice girl."

"Not tempted?"

Valencio said irritably, "That's the trouble with Hollywood. Everyone seems to be jumping into bed with everyone else. I have my own wife, and don't need anyone else!"

They walked together back to the set, where Jean-Pierre would be working again shortly, though Valencio would not be needed for a little while longer. A closely shepherded group of tourists turned to stare. Jean-Pierre Dequienne, the famous film star, though no-one knew his companion. The tour guide said, "Jean-Pierre Dequienne and Vince McDonald, working on a movie called Son of Satan, director Hermann Schuster. It's expected to be one of the major films of the year."

"Who's the female lead?" asked one of the group.

"Nikole Kristos. She plays a character called Katherine Brownlow"

"The plot?" asked one.

But the tour guide laughingly shook her head, "You'll have to wait for the premiere, I'm afraid."

Meantime, Valencio sat and watched as Nikole and Jean-Pierre played their roles. Jean-Pierre was the psychologist, and beginning to be very concerned that while Pandragon had learned to speak, and often seemed almost normal, people were mysteriously dying around him. The nurse, Katherine, was fiercely defending him, until the psychologist looked at her in suspicion. Was she emotionally involved?

There was another strange death, when a cleaning lady rebuked Pandragon for leaving his clothes on the floor. Again Katherine insisted that it had to be just unfortunate coincidence, and the psychologist started working out just exactly where Pandragon was at the time of each death, and whether there had been anything that the victim had done to disturb him.

The sex scene was a few days later, and Schuster gave careful instructions. He understood how differently his two male stars worked. With most actors, there would be numerous short takes, but to get the most from Vince's intensity, he liked to continue filming. He never seemed to have the slightest difficulty remembering lines. "So Nikole, there's no stop for you to put on shorts and get back under the sheets. But you can wear flesh coloured bikini briefs, if you want."

Nikole nodded nervously, and Schuster emphasized again that it was a very important scene. "Don't stop, Vince. Just continue, no matter what."

Valencio nodded. He wasn't going to embarrass himself by having an erection. Jean-Pierre had given him a hint, and he'd taken the tablet offered. 'Guaranteed,' Jean-Pierre had said. 'No other effects, but no externally observable excitement.'

The pill was totally innocuous, but usually worked as long as the actor believed it would work. Jean-Pierre thought it would work. He knew Vince had brains, yet he seemed sometimes surprisingly naive, even ignorant.

Valencio, from the age of twelve, knew of potions that could create all sorts of strange effects. He didn't question that there might be a pill with the properties stated.

Nikole asked, "How will I know when to die?"

"I'll judge that. You watch me, not Vince, and I'll indicate."

Nikole swallowed, and said, "Alright."

Schuster raised his eyebrows at the head cameraman, who nodded. There were more cameras from more angles than usual. Vince gave him unexpected aces sometimes.

Nikole said, "Can I have a few minutes? I really do want pants."

Schuster nodded, and asked, "Are you ready, Vince?"

Valencio was looking abstracted, going through the scene in his mind, 'Getting ready,' as someone had told him, long ago. He took a moment to answer, and then said, "Ready."

He was wearing the plain clothing of the imaginary institution, and Nikole (or Katherine) would be in ordinary casual clothing. They were in what was supposed to be his room, like a little bedsit, the bed carelessly half-made. The continuity girl was making careful notes, especially on arrangement of sheets and blankets. He went to lean against the wall, and quickly stopped himself. That one wasn't solid enough to be leaned on. Jean-Pierre was present, very interested to watch the vital scene. The set was limited to those directly involved.

Nikole returned, and the scene began, just a normal conversation to begin with, but Valencio's face was taking on a different look, and Katherine was beginning to falter and stammer, and then fell silent, staring hypnotised at Pandragon, who was looking, wanting, wanting desperately.

Katherine whispered, "Essan..."

Pandragon reached out to her, his hand trembling.

Katherine didn't take her eyes off his face as she started to unbutton her blouse, and while he stood stock still, trembling, she stripped to pale beige undies. On film, the outlines could be erased with computer technology.

She started to undress Pandragon then, scarcely taking her eyes from his face. He still showed his intense desire. She removed his shirt, then long pants, faltering as she saw his erection.

Schuster crossed his fingers, hoping she wouldn't stop now. She didn't stop, just peeled down underpants, and touched, just a bare contact, jumping as he quivered.

Valencio cursed to himself, but Schuster had said to continue, no matter what. Watchers scarcely breathed, the woman beautiful, and the man also beautiful, now nude, and fully erect.

Nikole had almost forgotten she was acting. She whispered, her voice shaking, "Come to bed, Essan."

She took a step back, towards the bed. Pandragon was still frozen.

Katherine repeated, "Come to bed, Essan," and Pandragon moved, shakily.

Katherine slipped under the sheet, and held it up for him, inviting.

Pandragon cast a look around, a look of sudden lost confusion, and then the wanting returned, and he joined Katherine. From the movements of the covers, he appeared to penetrate, and Katherine cried out in sudden pain, and then threshed around, it seemed in an attempt to escape, sobbing as he rhythmically thrust.

It appeared to be pain, but could have been passion. Pandragon had her pinned and was oblivious to her pain.

Katherine moved her head still, side to side, eyes slitted, but was watching Schuster, and when Pandragon apparently reached a climax, she took the cue from Schuster, screamed in agony, and subsided, eyes open, mouth still wide, dead.

Pandragon shuddered, and his movements stilled. He breathed deeply, and bent his head over hers. "Katherine," he breathed, "Katherine." He tenderly touched her face, and then stroked a cheek, as if wiping away her tears of pain, and frowned. Slowly, slowly, he raised his body from hers, suddenly looking away, pulling himself out of bed, and casting his eyes around in terror of something...

He looked back at the dead woman, reached out a hand again, and gently, so gently, touched her face. He whispered again, questioning, "Katherine?" The dawning realisation on his face, and he raised his face to the ceiling, and gave a loud cry of uttermost grief and despair.

Essan Pandragon staggered to his feet, bowed his head, went to the wall, and stopped, back to the camera. He was trembling, and had one hand on the wall as if to support himself. He waited for Schuster to say Cut. Quietly, Schuster said, "Still in character, return to Katherine, and do as you think."

Pandragon made no movement for a moment, then took a long shuddering breath, and returned to the body of the girl who had cared for the Son of Satan. He sat on the edge of the bed, and stroked her face again, gently, so gently. His face was ravaged, and ran with tears.

After a long time, he went falteringly to the corner of the room, sat on the floor, knees drawn up, arms around them, and laid down his head on his knees.

Katherine was wishing she hadn't died with her mouth so wide open. Her jaw was aching! At last, Schuster said "Cut."

In a deliberately calm voice, he said, "Nikole, you can change expression, but please stay exactly as you are. Vince, that was good. You will not be needed again today."

Valencio was wrung out. He accepted the dressing gown handed to him.

Jean-Pierre said calmly, "Get dressed now, and we'll go have a swim if you like, Vince. Give us a chance to relax."

Valencio nodded slightly. He was still trembling, and was pale.

There was a silence as the two male actors left. Finally, the head cameraman said, "Bloody Hell!"

Schuster nodded. "I've seldom seen such intensity from an actor."

He walked over to Nikole. "Are you alright? It looked like actual intercourse."

Nikole said, "As promised, he didn't even touch, just a tiny bit once, by accident." She hadn't moved her body to disarrange sheets and blankets. They had to stay exactly as they were for a bit, as more filming was done of the 'corpse.'

The cameraman remarked, "It'll be a shame to edit out the erection. It was an intrinsic part of the beauty of the scene."

Schuster said, "Sorry, Nikole, we can't have a coffee break now. You stay there, and we'll go straight onto the discovery scenes, and the beginning investigation scenes."

"Don't we need Vince?"

"We'll do the ones he's involved in separately. He'll need to settle down." He was hoping that the man would not become upset. He was not experienced, after all, and the pill trick hadn't worked, though he supposed it might have reduced nerves beforehand.

Valencio allowed himself to be guided by Jean-Pierre, who took him to the swimming pool, and sent for some drinks, as Valencio changed to the swimmers he kept in a locker, dived in, and started his rhythmical swim, lapping the pool, unhurried, methodical. Jean-Pierre wished that Vince was inclined to men. He'd been so incredibly beautiful. Like Ben Bgorn, Jean-Pierre liked men. But Vince. His reaction to the sex scene, even more than his marriage, indicated pretty firmly that it was women he was attracted to.

After half an hour, Valencio pulled himself out, sat beside Jean-Pierre, and asked, "Do you try the pill trick with every male actor in that situation?"

"A lot of it is psychological. It usually works."

"How much of a disgrace is it?"

"You don't seem to realise. That was an incredible bit of acting. Even if you climaxed, it's not important. Sometimes happens."

Valencio shook his head. "I didn't climax, but it was close. Had to fix my mind on Katherine being about to die. That helped!"

He accepted the drink he was handed, and said, "Did Schuster say I was finished for the day?"

"He knew you needed time to recover. He's a good director."

Valencio agreed. Schuster was very good.

Jean-Pierre said, "I don't suppose you get a percentage of the profits, being an unknown."

Valencio shook his head, "Good royalties, though. And I don't have to do any publicity at all, and that's good."

"You got away with that?"

Valencio nodded, and said, "Satan's Son. Supposed to be beautiful, like men hardly ever are. I got away with it."

"I doubt if Schuster knew what he was getting."

Valencio looked at him doubtfully. What did that mean? He said, "Will I get us a couple more drinks?"

A messenger came for Jean-Pierre, who was needed. Valencio sat alone at a table near one of the bars, again with a drink. He might have been able to present a reasonably normal face to Jean-Pierre, but he felt emotionally raw, bruised. And he was very much missing Tasha. She'd already been gone nearly a week, and she'd said probably two weeks.

At the set, Jean-Pierre had a quick word with Schuster. Vince should not be left alone. Schuster nodded. He'd seen actors like Vince before, brilliant, but overly sensitive, often temperamental, sometimes frankly unstable. Vince had shown no signs of any of those traits, and yet, if he was Valencio Durano... He called a few names, and ordered, "Keep an eye on Vince. We don't want him upset by having to fend off the Cossack, for instance."

Jean-Pierre said, "Ben, more likely. Pete likes the young ones, as long as they're at least eighteen."

Joe mentioned, "Peter was asking about him the other day..."

"Pete wouldn't hurt him. He's never taken an unwilling man in his life."

"The last one committed suicide, didn't he?"

Jean-Pierre defended, "All he had to do, if he didn't want it, was to say no!"

Valencio bought himself a fifth drink, and sat again. He wore a look of settled gloom. When a plumpish man in his late thirties sat himself close, leaned forward and put a hand on his knee, he swiped it off irritably and snapped, "Get away from me!"

The man withdrew slightly, and said, "Vince McDonald, I assume. My name is Phil Henderson."

He waited for the novice to sit up respectfully. Henderson could make or break careers.

Valencio ignored him, drained his drink, and went back to the bar. Henderson followed him, and put a hand on his bottom, kneading. Valencio turned to him, snarling his fury, and knocked him down, just as the three actors sent by Schuster entered the room.

"_Shit!"_ said one.

Henderson was getting to his feet, and looking vindictive. "That's your career at an end, McDonald. You'll never be in another movie!"

Valencio shrugged indifferently, and turned away.

Henderson wasn't satisfied, and repeated, slowly, "My name is Phil Henderson, and I _will_ ruin you."

Valencio didn't even look at him, "You could only ruin my acting career, and I'm sick of that in any case."

Henderson looked around. There was an audience, and the upstart was making him lose face. Without warning, he grabbed Valencio by the shoulder, spun him around, and punched. Valencio dodged, and the fist just grazed his face. There was an excuse, and he felt like hitting. He punched into the man's ribs, but not hard, and again. Henderson tried to back up, to dodge, but was too slow for the stinging blows.

Valencio started talking, as he continued to hit into the man's soft body. "I am _sick_ of idiot men trying to grope. I am _sick_ of being a target. And I am _sick _of this whole idiot town. And I am sick of men who like to bully, just because they can!" Henderson fell to the floor, and Valencio turned his back and strode out, only staggering once. He'd had a lot to drink in a short time.

The bar tender respectfully helped Henderson to his feet, as the three minor actors retreated, hoping that Henderson would not ruin their careers as well. Joe said, "Pam, go and tell Schuster. Mark and I'll follow Vince."

Jean-Pierre, other actors, and Nikole were working again when Pam returned. Nikole again wishing that she hadn't 'died' with her mouth so wide open. Schuster had congratulated her warmly for her acting in the sex and death scene, which helped, but her jaw was aching!

The moment the scene ended, and Pam could enter the studio again, she said, "Vince thrashed Phil Henderson."

Schuster swore. He called, "Shooting finished for the day. Continuity, careful notes. Jean-Pierre, Damage control. You and I will go straight to Ernie Schoen, and tell him that without McDonald, the film's a write-off."

Pam grinned at one of her fellow female actors. With her, it had never been more than a pat on the bottom, but she loathed the greasy bully.

Chloe asked, interested, "How badly did he thrash him?"

"Not very. But I heard that Henderson fancies himself as a boxer, probably because no-one's dared to hit back. Vince did, first knocked him down, declared he didn't care if his career was ruined, and when grease-bot grabbed him again, started a series of punches into his gut, but not very hard, I think. Enough to have grease-bot nearly crying!"

_Wonderful!_ thought young Dave, nearby, who would never admit how far he'd gone for a start in his career.

"Is Vince marked?" This was the make-up girl, who might have to try and conceal bruises.

"I don't think he was touched."

There were grins. Phil Henderson had no idea how he was loathed.

Meantime, Valencio was swimming again, soothing himself with the sustained exercise. Joe and Mark sat by the pool, wondering just how much Vince had had to drink. It hadn't been long enough to drink very much, but he'd been staggering. They didn't think that Vince had even noticed their presence.

They talked quietly, and were soon joined by Nikole and Jean-Pierre, who said, "I don't think Henderson's going to have much effect on Vince's career. Schuster said he was brilliant, that this movie will make a fortune, and he wants him in every movie from now on, that has a suitable part." He grinned. "I guess I just have to hope that maybe I'll get an award as Best Supporting Actor."

Nikole said, "I wanted that!"

Jean-Pierre said, "You were brilliant today, as well. You deserve it!"

Nikole pinkened with pleasure. Praise from Jean-Pierre Dequienne! She asked, "What actually upset him to begin with?"

Jean-Pierre said, "Actors like Vince. They live the part. Not like ordinary actors who only act the part. It's why they come across so strong. He was probably not upset so much, just drained."

"Do you think he really wants me?"

"How would I know? All I know is that he absolutely doesn't want a man!"

No-one equalled Jean-Pierre in status, and no-one was game to ask if he'd tried, and how his regular partner would feel if he was replaced. The fans didn't know. It was like a conspiracy, barely ever reported - that many of the male movie stars, the 'heart-throbs,' actually preferred men.

Three more of the actors joined the group, including Dave. Vince had been quite popular before, now he was a hero.

Schuster wasn't there, with Ernie Schoen, the producer, showing him some of the filming done that day. Schoen was silent as the scene unrolled, not yet edited, three cameras showing different views, one above the other. Schoen was accustomed to seeing preliminary film like this. His eyes flicked from one image to the other.

Finally, he turned to Schuster, beaming. "This movie will be the talk of the decade, not just the year."

"I want to make two versions. The version I very much want to make, might not be able to be publicly shown, maybe not ever. But to edit the sex scene too much will reduce the impact enormously."

"Even just editing out the erection will leave us with adult only."

"Could we be satisfied with that?"

"I generally prefer 15+ rating, as you know, but too much would have to be watered down. So yes, one adults only version, and one for private viewing."

Schuster said, "Jean-Pierre promises to look after him tonight, make sure he's not further upset, and can work tomorrow."

"Jean-Pierre?"

"He won't touch him. He says he'll stick around until he's safe in his bed, either by himself, or at least with a woman, not a man."

"Isn't he married?"

"His wife went home for a couple of weeks, I believe. She didn't like Hollywood."

"Maybe you should make sure she likes Hollywood. Give her a part, keep her occupied."

"I'll give it some thought."

Schoen said casually, "There's a quiet rumour going around that he's the missing child actor, Valencio Durano."

Schuster replied, "I checked, but his identity documents are solid. He's Vincent McDonald, of a Greek mother, and Scottish father. British citizen."

"I didn't think it could be true. An unwilling catamite is not likely to turn up twenty years later, happily married."

Schuster was totally convinced that it was Valencio, but hoped that it would not become public knowledge.

Nikole met with a very polite refusal when she made her offer, Valencio explaining that he only wanted his Tasha, no-one else. Nikole smiled at him, liking him more for his refusal that she would if he'd accepted. Valencio added, offhand, "Besides, when someone has sex with you, you die! I find that very off-putting in a woman!"

Nikole grinned. "It's going to be the big mystery of the film - just exactly why the girls die. Pity they have to edit out that you're just a normal man, don't have a stinger or something!"

Valencio laughed, but said, "The post mortem's show no injury, just that a perfectly normal sex act has taken place."

"You don't have to do any more in detail?"

"No, thank goodness. I don't think I could stand it! From now on, all I have to do is put on an expression of desire, the girl gets all woozy and starts stripping. Then straight to the post mortem."

Nikole said, reddening, "Schuster told me that lots of male actors become obviously excited, that they're perfectly accustomed to editing out... bits..."

Valencio was red, as well, and said, "Jean-Pierre gave me a little white pill he said would ensure it didn't happen. I believed him!"

Nikole laughed, "Naive!"

Valencio nodded. "Naive."

"You were very gentlemanly..."

"I tried to be."

Jean-Pierre was keeping an eye on him. He seemed fine now, but he and Dave still walked with him to his flat, saying that he needed chaperoning. Valencio didn't try and stop them. He thought maybe he needed chaperoning, as well.

He had his fingers crossed the following day when he reported for work. Most scenes were routinely performed several times, and the best selected, but there were a few now when Schuster had been satisfied with just one take.

Schuster was matter-of-fact, said that the scene was fine, didn't need repeating, and that there would be a few weeks now when his part would be less demanding. "More so afterwards, when the psychologist decides you have to be put down, and it gets a bit intense when he does so, of course."

Valencio remarked, "If I were really Essan Pandragon, I'd do it myself. It's not possible for him to live, the psychologist makes that clear to him, and he thinks about it a while, lies down and dies."

Schuster grunted. He didn't appreciate suggestions, but Valencio hadn't been pushy, just made a comment. Maybe it was worth thinking about.

Hesitantly, Valencio asked, "Am I in trouble for hitting the fat man?"

Schuster was amused. It was apparent that Vince didn't know who 'the fat man' was. He didn't enlighten him, just said that from what he'd heard over the years, the fat man had had it coming for a long time.

"I'll try not to do it again."

_xdividerx_

It was the middle of the afternoon, Take 4. Schuster had his fingers crossed. There were nuances here that he wanted to see, and he wasn't certain that Joe had the ability to convey what was needed. Pandragon was sitting on the floor again, in the corner, uncommunicative, back to the cameras, as Joe and Pam had a conversation around him. Cameras were rolling. Valencio suddenly looked around at the closed door, rose and went straight to it. Tasha was there, waiting, as he'd somehow known. He pulled her very close, embracing.

Schuster snapped, "Vince! What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

Valencio turned to him, beaming, "Tasha's back!" Then he went bright red, looked at the cameras, and apologised. Schuster shook his head.

Joe asked, "Vince, how did you know she was there, waiting?"

Valencio said again, "Sorry, I forgot for a moment we were working." If you didn't answer a question, it was often not repeated.

Joe shrugged and didn't repeat his question.

Schuster said, "Start again. There'll be a tea-break shortly. No more interruptions!"

Valencio kissed Tasha, who took a seat at the back with a few other watchers, including Jean-Pierre.

Valencio said, "Sorry, Joe, Sorry, Pam," and sat himself back in position, laying down his head, and slumping his shoulders in fatigue and despair, as he smiled to himself. Tasha was back. It was alright, now. He couldn't manage without his Tasha.

As Schuster had promised, Valencio's scenes were not demanding for the next two weeks, and then there were a few weeks when they travelled, as Pandragon tried to elude the police and avoid permanent committal. Tasha was enjoying herself far more, befriended by the crew and actors, feeling honoured when Jean-Pierre sat next to her and engaged her in conversation, and loving it when they travelled. There were even a few days at a beach, still too chilly to swim, though fifty or so actors had to appear in beachwear, regardless.

Pandragon was invited to bed again, hesitated a long time, until the female character taunted, "Are you queer or something?" and reached to touch. It was the first female death after 'Katherine.'

Valencio was looked after. He seldom found himself alone, and no man made unwanted advances. Tasha was happier, and Vince still loved the acting. All the same, he had not rescinded a statement he'd made to Schuster - that he wasn't doing any more movies in Hollywood. He didn't like the environment. Schuster remarked privately to the producer that they'd have to find a fun movie for him next time, give him a few months off, and lure him back with a script he couldn't resist.

And then Schuster looked closely at his shooting schedule, made a few changes, and told Valencio he could have some time off, that he had to be back on the twenty-third March, and reminded sternly, "No tan marks."

Valencio beamed. That was nearly three weeks! Schuster wanted him back, refreshed. There were some demanding scenes as the story came to a climax.

Neither Tasha nor Valencio even considered any other destination than home, even though March tended to be a windy, cold month in Scotland.

They had money now, and instead of arranging to be met at the small airport in Duich, they bought themselves a brand new, bright red car, and drove home in style.

_xchapter endsx_


	28. Chapter 28

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 28:_

Two days after his return, Valencio put on the yellow vest, and went to have breakfast with the guests, though Tasha ate with the other residents. It was a Saturday, and there were forty guests, most couples, a few singles, including Feena who'd taken advantage of a last minute cancellation. But Feena was in a unit as usual, taking care to keep out of the way of Vince, whom the boss had been fretting about.

"I just want to know he's alright, Feena," he'd said.

Feena had said, sensibly, "He was fine at Christmas, no reason to think he's not fine now."

"Well, anyway, you enjoy your times there. So it's giving you a break, as well."

Feena agreed. She just thought it a bit pointless, when there were far more important concerns than the welfare of a single man, and not even Anirage!

Both Clarence and Kaede were acting as hosts, and Kaede went from table to table, giving details of events they might like to attend. "Entirely up to yourselves, of course. You can just read books and watch movies, or you can paint with Emma or Connie, have a gentle ride with Mary, or a faster one with Gloria. Some men like to work with Vince, enjoying physical work for a change, and he'll tell you what he's doing each day."

Valencio shook his head. "No-one will want to help me these next few days - I'm cleaning out the horse shelters, shovelling manure that is, though I'll be using the tractor a bit now and then."

Kaede went on, "Things of interest - we have a professional model giving lessons, several of our club members are doing that, and anyone who wants, can join in. Also, next Saturday, there's a small gymkhana at Leeton, which is about a forty minute drive away. Riders can talk to Gloria about entering, if they want, and even inexperienced riders can enter either in the pairs classes or the Fancy Dress, and we have costumes for your use if you want that."

She paused, What else? "Jimmy has a bus service, every weekday, Loch Lomand, Glen Kay, Bogridge and Duich, schedule on the notice board, and there's an old-time dance in Bogridge tonight. Anyone who wants can put their name on the list on the notice board, and someone will drive you there and home."

A woman asked, "What's the Pairs Class?"

"It's a show class, and the horses and riders have to look as similar as possible. One of us rides one of the horses, and a visitor rides the other. That makes it easy, especially as the horses are trained for it. Any prizes, you keep."

"Those spotted ponies, they're so pretty."

Kaede smiled. "They are pretty. They're called Bindi & Calliope, and have only come recently. They've won a lot of prizes I'm told, in the pairs, as well as individually."

Valencio asked, "John's?"

Kaede confirmed, "John's, about seven years old, Gloria told me. Same sire, and their dams were half-sisters and Andalusians. One of them is a half sister of Reya, as well, but I can't remember which one."

She rose, "Vince will tell you more about it if you're interested, and you put your name down for Gloria, who'll arrange practice."

The woman turned to Vince, and he answered her questions. They always went to gymkhanas now, as long as they were reasonably close.

Another woman said, "I used to compete when I was younger - show jumping, but we moved to the city."

Vince replied, "You'd have to demonstrate to Gloria how well you can ride, but if she thinks you're good enough, she'll let you have Storm maybe, who's very experienced. There's others, as well. Or you can enter the showing, or best rider competitions. There's Reya, pure Andalusian, and she's collected a few ribbons."

The visitors could enter the jumping or the fast gymkhana events if they wanted, but Carol said they should preferably be encouraged to events less likely to end in broken bones.

"Do you ride, Vince?"

"I've never bothered with gymkhanas. Except for a fancy dress, once." The talk moved on to Fancy Dress then, and Valencio was able to talk about the Mongol Hordes costumes, "Best if there's nine men - looks great then. But no more than nine, as we run out of shaggy ponies."

"Costumes for women?"

"I think there's a few Spanish senorita costumes in different sizes, Arab costumes, a clown costume - I can't remember what else."

There had been a few developments in the months that Valencio had been away. It appeared the permanent residents were now members of a 'club,' details never specified. Jimmy had his regular bus run, and Helene was planning to start a model agency, specialising in older models. Even Belinda was taking lessons in catwalk modelling, perfectly happy to be organised into earning some money for herself.

Valencio was whistling later that day as he shovelled manure onto a wheelbarrow, and wheeled load after load to a small trailer pulled by the tractor, his favourite toy after his truck. He was filthy, and far away from Hollywood where Jean-Pierre was working very hard under the direction of Schuster. There had been a change, though Valencio didn't know yet. Pandragon was no longer to die by the hand of the psychologist, but instead was to face the harrowing fact that he was unable to live without hurting those around him.

Bluey's shelter was finally reasonably clean, and Valencio wiped a dirty hand over dirty face, pulled himself to the seat of the tractor, and drove it to the gate, finding it opened for him by one of the visitors, who'd been admiring the horses here, Madigan, Kennedy, Revenge and Emanuelle, plus four young horses. He stretched afterwards, a little painfully. He was out of the way of heavy work. Maybe he'd best just do one shelter a day. Maybe he'd ride to Bogridge, and see if any of his mates were at the pub. He smiled to himself. Freedom was so good.

After a quick shower, he saddled Caesar, who danced and snorted at him. Other riders seemed to think he should just canter. While reasonably obedient, he liked Valencio best.

One of the guests pointed Valencio out to Feena, as he galloped headlong down the drive. "That's Vince. My husband said he was filthy earlier, covered with manure, and whistling."

"I heard he was a character, that he nearly always has a few visitors tagging along."

"I think he might have been away, as today's the first time he's joined us at breakfast."

"Away?"

"Someone told me he was in Edinburgh, where he has friends."

Caesar sensibly slowed down as soon as they started on the bridle track to Bogridge, knowing it too far to gallop. Valencio rode relaxed in the saddle, letting the horse dictate the pace. He was looking forward to seeing Roddy and Erin, who were nearly always there on a Saturday afternoon, and probably others he knew as well. For the first time, he wondered how they'd react to Vince McDonald, actor. He shrugged. They knew he'd done a few commercials, and hadn't turned a hair at that. Luckily, the handyman ad hadn't been shown locally, and he didn't think that fourth one had been shown at all.

Valencio spent the afternoon at the pub, happily talking to friends, two of whom escorted him back to his horse when they noticed him swaying and beginning to slur his words. But he insisted he was fine, and appeared to quite competently saddle Caesar, and mount.

Caesar snorted in disapproval, and walked gingerly to the start of the bridle track as Valencio started to sing. Life was wonderful. He was in the middle of a movie which was going to be great. There were scenes ahead that would challenge all his ability. And he was home, with the women he loved. For the moment, he wasn't differentiating. He loved Tasha, but also Gloria and Emma and Helene, and Farfalla... Valencio Durano sang, as Caesar twitched his ears and walked smoothly towards home.

Valencio hadn't really had an enormous amount to drink, just that he rarely drank much, and felt its effects quite quickly. After an hour, he noticed that it would soon be dark, and suggested a canter. He hugged the horse when he arrived home - he loved Caesar, too, and all the other horses, even Emanuelle, plain and spiteful. As soon as he'd settled Caesar, he went and made a fuss of her, giving her a thorough brushing as she stood relaxed, one hip down and hoof resting, tip on the ground. She'd have her foal in a couple of months, thought to be by a stallion near Glen Kay. A Fell Pony, the same as all their black ponies. Emanuelle whickered at him, and he hugged her, his eyes suddenly wet. She was beautiful.

Bernice rebuked Valencio when he turned up late for dinner. "_And_ you smell of horses,' she added.

Valencio grinned at her, and said, "Lucky I had a shower after finishing Bluey's paddock - I smelled worse then!"

Bernice smiled, but told him to hurry up, as they were waiting to clean up. Valencio hurried, helping himself quickly from the dishes available, and taking a seat next to the girls, who'd also been late for dinner.

Inge said, "Evita and I went to a movie in Duich. Paul's eighteen, and he borrowed his Dad's car."

"What did you see?"

"_Blue Fiesta,_ starring Ben Bgorn."

"Good?"

"Very good. Ben Bgorn's dreamy!"

"He agrees with you. He thinks he's dreamy, as well."

"You know Ben Bgorn?" Evita said, scarcely believing.

"Not very well, but he's around, working on a movie called _The Centurion_. He takes every opportunity of wandering around in a brief tunic, hoping that we're all admiring his oh so muscular legs!"

Evita looked thoughtful. It was a different viewpoint, and of course, it was terribly childish to admire an image on a screen.

Inge remarked, "I can't wait to see your movie."

Valencio gave her a sheepish grin, "Sorry, not until you're eighteen. It's to have an adults only rating."

The girls all laughed at that. After what they'd been, they were still deemed too young to see an adults only movie.

Inge said, "In Movie World, there was a bit about it. There was a profile, but just a silhouette, and that was you, but overlaid with the face of the hero, and the female lead on the other side. Referred to Son of Satan as an amazing new talent, and didn't even give your name."

"I refused permission to be used for publicity, so they decided to bill me as a mystery man. Means people eagerly anticipating, they hope."

He was suddenly embarrassed, and said, "Anyway, it's just a very ordinary movie, and there's a lot better things to do in life than watch movies." His face was hot, as he thought of his friends and companions watching him parade naked. But then he shook his head. Maybe not the young ones, but the older ones had seen him naked, had seen him strapped to a chair merely to have a haircut, hobbled, and that horrible time when he'd been returned with blood stains all down his thighs. Just acting was nothing.

He sighed, and smiled again, admitting, "It's turning into a good movie." Silly being embarrassed with his own people.

Tasha scraped her plate, and joined them.

Evita asked her, "Do you know Ben Bgorn as well, Tasha?"

"I've seen him around. Vince hasn't hit him yet." The girls stared at her in blank surprise, and Tasha explained, "He fancies Vince, but Jean-Pierre gave him a hint, maybe told him that Vince has hard fists, and he's stayed away since then."

Evita said, "Oh." Of course it was childish to admire an image on a screen, and now it seemed he admired men, not women.

Inge asked, "Really?"

Tasha nodded. "There's a lot like that there, so now Schuster makes sure that Vince always has someone with him, so he's not provoked into hitting someone else."

"Who did you hit, Vince?"

"Fat fellow. I can't remember his name. He grabbed my bottom, so I flattened him."

The girls laughed, and Vince grinned, "I didn't get into trouble, but I'm not allowed to get a broken nose or even a black eye until the movie's finished. So the director has given orders, I think."

"Jean-Pierre, is that Jean-Pierre Dequienne?"

"Of course. I thought you knew I was working with him."

"It's just so hard to believe."

Inge asked, "Are you and Tasha going to the dance?"

Valencio said no, and Inge said, "We are. Jimmy's taking the big bus, and picking up Paul on the way. Nearly half of the guests are coming, as well."

Tasha said, "Carol asked if you and I would go, too, Vince. Mostly so you could dance with the female guests, but we can take our own car and leave early."

Valencio replied, "For a start, I can't dance, and for a second thing, if I ask one to dance, she'll think it means more. And then her feelings will be hurt as well as her toes! Much better if I keep away from the female guests."

Tasha nodded, "Maybe you're right."

"Have any of the male guests made advances?"

"Occasionally, but subtle enough that the question is asked and answered without anything as blatant as words or a touch."

Emma said, "Three months in winter when there's just us. That's a relief. I think nearly all of us have had to put up with over-friendly male guests now and then."

"We could always stop having guests..."

Emma shook her head, decidedly. "I want to stay here, live here, and this way we're not a burden on anyone. I don't think anyone wants to stop the guests. And it means the ones who want to set up in business don't have to worry about start-up money, as Carol is putting money away now, all the time."

Inge said, "Anyway, she's equipped all of us with alarms, as well as mobile phones, so we can call for help, perfectly easily."

"She told me she wants twelve of us working here full-time, the minimum required to do the work. And not counting students, and the ones with outside jobs, there's only eighteen left now."

Valencio and Tasha watched a movie after dinner, with a few guests and several residents. Afterwards, they went on to the ballroom, still their own, and it developed into a party. Tasha and Valencio told a few stories of Hollywood life. Inge seemed to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of movies in progress, including some just casting. She commented, "Nikole Kristos is starting her next one, but I thought she was in yours."

Valencio grinned, "My character, unfortunately, accidentally killed her."

"How?"

Valencio blushed and said, "We're not supposed to divulge the plot."

Tasha changed the subject, "The crew are very friendly, and Monica let me watch some preliminary editing one day."

"Do you watch the editing, Vince?"

"Not very often. The director thinks it compromises the acting. He lets Jean-Pierre, though."

"What are you doing next, do you know yet?"

"Coming home and staying home! It's a sick environment."

Tasha said, "It's not that bad, and you know you've not been subject to any serious harassment."

Inge said, "I thought you liked acting, Vince."

"I do. But Edinburgh makes movies too. And London. Maybe they're better than Hollywood."

"You know all the biggest movies are made in Hollywood. To be a real film star, you have to work there."

Valencio frowned at her, "Maybe it's not important to be a real film star. There's a lot of satisfaction to be had right here."

Inge looked at Tasha, and Tasha winked. Schuster had asked her whether Vince might like to be a romantic action hero, the film equivalent of the romance books a few of the women still enjoyed. There was sword play, and Tasha had told him that Vince used to play with a cutlass, that he was very good...

Valencio looked at her uneasily, and went for more beers for them all. Belinda started playing, and the conversation was to the background of the gentle music of the gentle girl.

Valencio cheered up again after a while, but was still drinking.

The following morning, Kaede was host again at the guests' breakfast. One of the women asked, "Is Vince joining us today?"

Kaede answered, "He meant to, but he hasn't shown himself yet."

One of the men commented, "Hungover, probably! We came home late from the dance, and saw him swaying past the guest units and singing very loudly."

Kaede was surprised, "Drunk?"

"Certainly looked it!"

"That's only the second time I know of, then. He's generally very moderate in his drinking."

But at that moment, they heard a whistling, though it stopped before Valencio entered, looking perfectly bright and cheerful, and wearing his yellow vest. He said casually to Didi, presiding over the breakfast bar, "Sorry I'm late," and started helping himself to a generous breakfast.

Kaede asked, as he joined them, "What kept you?"

"Carol. I've been soundly rebuked for being far too noisy last night, when people were sleeping."

Cherie asked, "Were you really drunk?"

Valencio answered cheerfully, "Drunk as a skunk. But I promised Carol I won't do it again, and I have to abjectly apologise to anyone I woke up."

A young woman said, "You woke me up. I'd like you on bended knees and abjectly apologising, please."

Valencio raised an eyebrow, "Your bedroom's in the castle, Vicki. I wouldn't have woken you up."

Vicki said firmly, "You woke me up."

Valencio sighed, rose from his chair, knelt before Vicki, looked at her piteously, eyes open and tearful, and said, "I'm so terribly, terribly sorry, and I promise never, ever, to do it again." He extended a shaking hand and pleaded, "My life depends on your forgiveness!"

Vicki was giggling too much to reply, but Kaede said, "She forgives you. Have your breakfast!"

Valencio grinned and sat back in his chair.

Cherie said, "It's teeming rain. We can't practise with the horses."

"What are you planning on entering?"

"I want to jump, but in the class where the jumps are low. Gloria watched me yesterday, and if I want, I can ride Storm."

Vicki said, "And I'm allowed to ride the palomino in the showing, and Ken's going in the Fancy Dress."

Ken supplemented, "Several of us are going to be _Mongol Hordes,_ and we've got three Arabs, one Red Indian, and a Lady Godiva."

Valencio asked, "Lady Godiva?"

"You know, Vince, the lady who rides naked in order to save the poor or some such thing."

"I don't know the story, but it sounds very interesting." He grinned. "Make Leeton sit up a bit!"

One of the men said regretfully, "It's not as good as it sounds. It's a standard fancy dress, and they always wear a body stocking, as well as having long blonde hair covering up all the interesting bits."

"Who's doing it?"

"Kerry, I think her name is. Sitting at the other table. She's to ride the Andalusian."

Ken asked, "What are you planning to do today, Vince, since you can't work outside?"

Valencio said optimistically, "It might clear up. And anyway, I'm working under shelter. Doing the White Paddock today, and the horses can go in with the others for a bit."

"What horses are in the White Paddock?"

"Just a few that are owned by individuals and not available for general use." He added, "Gloria plans a long, fast ride this afternoon, rain or shine. But you need to be a good rider to go with Gloria."

"Are you a good rider?"

Valencio scratched his head, "I like to go fast, and hardly ever fall off, but I don't know things like making a horse canter on the right leg, or even which is the right leg."

One of the men said, "Well, this morning, there's painting in the studio, a modelling class, a film on, and Carol says she's asking Belinda to play for a while in No. 3 sitting room. And I don't fancy any of those. Want a hand shovelling muck?"

Valencio laughed, "If you're silly enough! But we're going to stink to high heaven!"

Another said, "Me, too. For a while, anyway."

"The White Paddock then, in a half hour, and I'll bring extra shovels and wheelbarrows."

"The tractor?"

"Of course. I never miss an opportunity to use the tractor! It's my second best toy!" His best toy was still his truck, which needed repair again, once the more urgent jobs were done.

Feena's March report to Narzu-Han. "He's obviously an attractive personality. He had guests volunteering to get themselves filthy and tired helping him clean a horse shelter. And they claimed to have enjoyed it!"

"Is he happy?"

"He whistles and sings, and radiates contentment. He became drunk once, but only sang very loudly, didn't get aggressive or anything. He helped at a horse show, and consented to have his photo taken with an arm around one of the guests who'd taken a second in a show jumping event. He's happy and settled, and I really think that every two months is quite sufficient to check on him."

Narzu-Han might have been the head of wizardry in Turkey, but his staff were not as slavishly obedient as the Khatabi-Richi had been. He replied, resigned, "Alright, Feena. Every two months."

_xdividerx_

Valencio was greeted casually by Schuster when he reported for work at the time stated, and with pleasure by the others who knew him. New to the set was a well known actress, Vivienne Lancaster.

Valencio was introduced to her, and asked, "What part are you playing?"

"The girlfriend who survives."

Valencio looked at Schuster in surprise, "I didn't know any of them survive!"

Schuster said, "There's been a few changes which you can study this afternoon. Meantime, you're to go and see Sylvie. She wants to watch how you can fight."

"Is there to be fighting, as well?"

"I'm thinking of possibilities for your next movie."

Valencio shook his head. "I told you. This is the first and last."

Jean-Pierre urged, "Come on, Vince! Choreographed fighting is enormous fun. I'm to see her, as well."

Valencio shrugged, and left with Jean-Pierre.

The casting expert, Sylvie, was watching closely as a fight raged in front of her, some with swords, some with cutlasses. Valencio grinned in utmost pleasure. This was play! He picked up a cutlass, finding it blunt. "Too light," he commented, but then whirled and snarled at Jean-Pierre, "Prepare to die!"

Jean-Pierre grinned. Vince was in his thirties, and was acting the boy. He chose himself a cutlass, and said, "Over there. We'll have a practice run while Sylvie's occupied with the others."

A camera swung onto the pair, ignored by Jean-Pierre, who knew that the whole scene was mostly for the benefit of Vince.

Valencio was half-crouched, suddenly remembering that his growling words should not be in Italian and switched to Greek. He'd had many a lesson from Farfalla during the eighteen years they'd spent as prisoners together. The point of his cutlass shifted, weaving. Jean-Pierre lunged, and he pulled back, switching the cutlass to his left hand, and drawing it lightly up the side of Jean-Pierre.

"First blood!" he announced, grinning, and twisted away from a quick counter attack.

"Don't mark him," called Sylvie, warningly.

"He won't mark me!" said Valencio, boastfully. "He's a rank amateur!"

The cutlass was smoothly passed into his other hand, and again, and now he held a sharpened piece of glass in one hand. It was a while, as they battled, Vince sometimes laughing, sometimes snarling in Greek that his enemy was shortly to meet his maker.

Jean-Pierre was no amateur, and suddenly disarmed Valencio, but Valencio ducked under the striking cutlass, touched Jean-Pierre on the neck, and announced, "Dead!"

He withdrew, as Jean-Pierre looked at him, puzzled. Valencio showed him his hand with its shiv. "I slit your carotid artery. You're now nearly dead from loss of blood." He indicated. "You can see it. It spurts very high when an artery is cut!" He regarded himself. "You bled all over me. I'll have to shower!"

Jean-Pierre shook his head, and asked, "Can I see the blade?"

Valencio opened his hands again, and asked, "What blade?"

"Just where were you brought up, Vince?"

"Several places, but I learned to fight in the back slums of Athens."

It was an impressive demonstration, and his casual line about the back slums of Athens was almost as impressive. The word would spread. Vince McDonald could be a formidable fighter!

Sylvie asked, "Have you ever done any training in choreographed boxing or judo, Vince?"

Valencio answered, "No, but anyway, I meant to make it clear I wasn't doing any more films."

"It's written into your contract that you have to do any training deemed necessary by the director."

Valencio raised an eyebrow. No it wasn't. He shrugged, "I'll be happy to. A new skill never goes astray."

Sylvie smiled. Was he fooled? She doubted it. She asked, "What other skills do you have, Vince?"

"A few languages, I did a bit of gymnastics for a while, and I have it on good authority that I have a good right."

"Was that Phil Henderson?"

"Who?"

"The man you hit a month or so ago."

"No, a chap at home. Great chap, but I knocked him down once."

Sylvie said, "Ronny will start taking you for lessons, every afternoon, three o'clock, unless your director excuses you."

Valencio complained, "You're very bossy!"

Sylvie ignored him. "Ronny, see what he can do." She nodded at the cameraman, who started to film. Ronny started to teach, and Valencio listened closely, ignoring the camera that he knew was on him. If they wanted to waste film, that was up to them.

A short time later, Valencio was kicking high in the air and blocking imaginary blows with his forearm. He objected to making Kung Fu type noises, but he was told sternly that it was how it was always done. He remarked, "It's stupid to warn your opponent. Much easier to kill someone if they're not expecting it."

"Just do as you're told," said Sylvie, severely.

Valencio grinned at her, and did as he was told. He was having a good time, and knew perfectly well that the hints of possible killings, would spread.

That afternoon, Valencio concentrated, reading over the script at the back of the room, where Jean-Pierre was heavily involved questioning the woman who'd survived. It was out of order for a change, as she had not yet done the scenes where she meets Pandragon. Valencio muttered something, and Schuster looked around in annoyance, though it hadn't been during a scene, luckily. Valencio was frowning, deep in concentration, appearing to have forgotten where he was. He stared up, almost directly at Schuster, but not seeing him, instead seeing the pictures in his own mind.

Schuster sighed. If he sent him somewhere else, he'd need an escort, someone to make sure that he was not molested. Valencio looked down again, and was silent. Schuster crossed his fingers and turned back to the actors who waited for his cue.

Valencio didn't make any more noise, and was almost forgotten as he read silently, and sometimes stared into the distance. At last, he put down the script and appeared to return to the room.

Schuster said, "Vivienne, one more time. You have to be more reluctant, more embarrassed. He has to draw it out of you with tact and persistence."

Vivienne said shrilly, "I've done the dammed scene fifteen times already! What more do you want?"

Schuster tapped his fingers, and suddenly turned to Valencio, "Ready for a scene, Vince?"

Valencio jumped, and said uncertainly, "I guess. Which scene?"

"The seduction scene," and he named the page.

"Can I have ten minutes?"

"Half an hour and a teabreak. Read it over and prepare yourself. The subsequent scenes of questioning might go better then."

Vivienne stared at Valencio, and then flounced off. Half an hour. She'd dammed well take an hour! _Never_ had she worked with such an impossible director!

Valencio smiled at Schuster, and said, "It's good. Very good."

"It'll be demanding," warned Schuster.

Valencio nodded. Of course it would be demanding. It was what he'd been made for - playacting.

The set director was frantically flipping through pages. What was needed for this totally different scene? He looked confused, and then conferred with Schuster, after a moment, smiling slightly and nodding.

It was over an hour later before Vivienne said the first words of a different scene. Pandragon looked at her uneasily, and shifted slightly, from foot to foot. Vivienne laughed at him gently, "Surely you're not virgin! You know what I want!"

Pandragon said nervously, "I don't like it..."

Vivienne let her eyes roam up and down his body, and she licked her lips. He was only wearing a brief bathing costume. She wanted him. She took a step forward, and he took a step backward, looking toward the door as if he was about to bolt.

He spoke desperately, "You shouldn't... Bad things happen."

Vivienne moved to stand between him and the door, and her hand went to her top button. She'd done nude scenes many a time, and had confidence that her body was extremely desirable. She was a very beautiful woman. Slowly, smiling seductively, she undid her buttons, and dropped her dress.

Pandragon's breath came faster and his posture subtly changed. Vivienne undid her bra so that it fell away. The art of stripping, gracefully, without any awkward action. Her breasts were exposed, and Pandragon reached, but didn't touch. His face was pure lust now. He wanted her, desperately wanted her.

Vivienne stared at the beautiful man, almost hypnotised, and her desire was no longer acted. She stepped forward and her hand stroked, finding Pandragon erect under the bathing costume. He whimpered and pulled back. Vivienne was almost panting, and swiftly pulled down her own pants. She wanted this man, so attractive, inexplicably reluctant.

Pandragon had retreated against the wall now, his face showing sometimes his desire, sometimes a panic. Vivienne was nude, flushed, and nipples erect with her own excitement. She went closer, and Pandragon whimpered again, but this time when she reached, he took the short step forward, and took her in his arms. His hands roamed, over her back and buttocks. His mouth lowered on hers. Vivienne's hand plucked at the waistband of his bathing costume.

Suddenly she was thrust aside as Pandragon shrieked, "No!" and ran from the room.

Vivienne stared after him, and her trembling was not feigned.

Schuster said, "Cut, and prepare for the other scene again." Firmly, he said, "Vivienne, get dressed. Jean-Pierre, just as soon as the set's ready."

Valencio returned, again fully dressed, and sat at the back of the room. He thought he'd done what Schuster wanted, and was not as deeply stirred as he'd appeared. Not that the erection hadn't been genuine, but at least this time he'd been covered, and resigned to it happening. He'd always been easily excited, no point worrying too much. Vivienne hadn't been supposed to touch him like that, and he hadn't touched her at all intimately, just her back.

Vivienne was sitting, shuddering still. Jean-Pierre resumed his questioning, almost harsh as she didn't answer. At last the answers came, but hesitantly, reluctantly. Valencio looked at Schuster, who looked as imperturbable as ever. The scene he'd done would have to be done over, as the setting was wrong. He hoped, at least, that the manipulative bastard had what he wanted from Vivienne.

Schuster nodded, said it was better, and had them do it twice again. Vivienne was subdued, accepted direction, though once shooting a look of sheer resentment at Valencio. Schuster wheeled on Valencio, "Don't you have a lesson to go to?"

"Afternoon lessons starting tomorrow."

Schuster said curtly, "Be back here in an hour. I'll show you some of the film taken these past three weeks."

Valencio rose and left. Vivienne glared at him with hatred, which Schuster noted. The scene with Valencio and Vivienne, in the correct setting, might cause difficulties. Vivienne was known to be temperamental.

Valencio leaned against the wall outside the studio, wondering what to do with himself. It was a pity the gymnasium didn't have things like parallel bars and rings for swinging. He'd almost forgotten that he'd learned a bit from Margaret one time. In the end, he just found a quiet spot and sat a while, thinking about the changes that Schuster had made. He was not approached. Word had already spread that he carried a knife and had spoken casually of killing.

_xdividerx_

For a couple of weeks, filming was not demanding for Valencio, though he watched some very competent acting, and met Jean-Pierre's male partner, Bobby. He wasn't very surprised. No-one had told him, but there had been clues. He was only grateful that Jean-Pierre treated himself with the same uncomplicated friendship as he was treated by old Joe Corbett.

The lessons with Ronny Vale continued nearly every day. He loved it, though he still thought the yells and grunts of Kung Fu rather ridiculous. On the tenth day, Ronny asked him whether he liked him sufficiently to tolerate him as bodyguard. Valencio stared at him in surprise, "Bodyguard?"

"It's not unusual. When a high budget film rests on the continued health of one man, a bodyguard is only prudent."

"What would you have to do?"

"Be around you when you're otherwise alone. It means no-one molests you, and you won't be provoked into drawing a knife and killing someone, which would mean ruin for the film."

"Will Jean-Pierre have a bodyguard?"

"Sure, he nearly always does on location."

Valencio looked at him, and knew that it was a lie. There had been security men when they'd done those scenes on location, but no individual bodyguards. On the other hand... He smiled at Ronny and said, "I'd appreciate it."

Schuster watched Sylvie's footage of the pretend fight with Jean-Pierre several times, and still couldn't make up his mind whether McDonald could be dangerous or not. Probably, it was just acting combined with a little sleight of hand, on purpose to discourage nuisances. But that line about killing... He was glad that he'd accepted Vale as bodyguard. Better to prevent problems than have to deal with them.

_xdividerx_

It should have been the last scene before they packed up and moved to the beach. The short life of Essan Pandragon would end on a beach.

Schuster said in a matter-of-fact tone, "It's where the psychologist looks closely at Pandragon, who's unconscious. He's to be struck anew by his physical perfection, and saddened that he has to cause his death. We're doing two versions, and I'll decide later which to use. In one, as in the script, face and shoulders are seen. In the other, the psychologist strokes his face and then draws down the blankets, just to admire. The idea to convey is how perfect is his beauty, in all respects. That no natural man is ever so perfect."

Valencio asked doubtfully, "So that's a nude scene?"

Schuster nodded briskly. "Easy. You just lie there. The most challenging part is that the make-up has to be perfect. The face must be stunning."

Valencio frowned at him, and said, "It seems quite unnecessary!" He didn't think he wanted to lie on the bed, naked, and have Jean-Pierre study his body.

Schuster was surprised. It was the first time that Vince had argued with him. He said briskly, "I'm the director. I decide what's necessary."

Valencio still stared at him, frowning, and asked, "What purpose does it serve?"

Schuster was beginning to be angry. It served little purpose, except to make a beautiful picture. He very much wanted it for his second version of the movie, the one for private viewing. Jean-Pierre was to show a strong hint of sexual desire. He said abruptly, "Go to make-up. I'll inspect closely and see if it does the job."

Valencio still hesitated, looking at him questioningly, and then around the room. There was something not quite right here. He wished Jean-Pierre was there to ask. He guessed he would be, later, and turned and went to where Dani, the make-up expert, waited for him.

Dani made three attempts, but finally sent for Schuster. Schuster studied Valencio's face. Dani had made the lips a touch more red, and put the merest hint of eye shadow, that would help show off eyes, even closed eyes.

Schuster frowned, and said, "What do you think, Vince?"

Valencio said, "The Son of Satan is not supposed to look like a girl. And every time she touches, I look more like a girl."

"Shut your eyes."

Valencio shut his eyes.

Schuster asked Dani, "Have you lengthened or darkened the eyelashes?"

"Twice, and then removed it again. At the moment, it's just him."

"Remove all make-up, and I'll have a look."

Dani carefully sponged away the make-up, and remarked, "We don't even need foundation, really, though it's always used. But there are no blemishes or lines to conceal."

Schuster said, "Maybe you'd best do only what you always do."

Dani nodded, and Valencio sat patiently, Schuster still watching.

Valencio had been thinking about the nude scene, and decided it was unimportant. Even if it was for someone's private archives, he'd already made his body public property, from the first moment Essan Pandragon had hatched from the egg. And it wasn't as if he was restrained by cuffs for the sexual pleasure of elderly wizards. People just looking never hurt. He said casually, "I won't refuse to do the nude scene."

Schuster was surprised, not by his agreement, but by the fact that he appeared to think it was up to him. Actors were supposed to do what they were told, even if they put on a performance about it. He didn't quite know what to say, and in the end, only grunted.

As promised, the scene was easy for Valencio, though far more challenging for Jean-Pierre. Valencio only had to look beautifully serene, sleeping, sedated, while Jean-Pierre had to look sadly, fondly, at the poor, confused young man whom he'd taught to speak. The monster who had killed, and yet had fled from a beautiful woman, not wanting to kill again. Jean-Pierre stroked his face in the first version, and very gently, his bare shoulder. He wiped his eyes, and then it could be seen that his eyes were wet. Most actors used chemical help when tears were needed.

In the second version, Valencio could feel the sheets drawn back, and the long silence, and then just a gentle touch, as Jean-Pierre first stroked his face, and then down his flank, took a deep shuddering breath, and blankets were tenderly rearranged around him. There was a touch on his cheek, and then he heard and felt that Jean-Pierre was no longer close.

He waited, but the cameras were still on him, focusing closely. He thought it a good idea, and if they were still filming... Apparently asleep, and yet tears began trickling.

Schuster peered, and beamed, as Schuster hardly ever beamed! It was perfect. What an actor! He left it a long five minutes, before saying quietly, "Cut." And then the usual, "Do it again," and, to Jean-Pierre, "Just a little more obvious."

Valencio glanced at Jean-Pierre, and knew exactly what he wanted more obvious. He asked Schuster, "Do you want the tears?"

Schuster said, "Just a little."

Jean-Pierre commented, "Not many actors can cry as easily as that."

"I learned on my mother when I was little. If she didn't give me my ice-cream straightaway, I'd just produce a few tears."

Schuster, unusually, showed his amusement. Others frankly laughed, including some feminine laughter from a seat at the back. Vivienne, who'd been watching. She hadn't spoken to him since the seduction scene, blaming him, it seemed. Valencio remembered how he'd resented Yiko, and thought it perfectly understandable.

Finally, Schuster was satisfied, and Valencio could get dressed. "A California beach tomorrow," he remarked to Ronny, who'd just entered the room.

Schuster warned, "No tan marks! You're either totally naked in the sun, and that's illegal, or fully covered."

"But Pandragon's supposed to be swimming and sunbaking, and he'd get tanned."

Schuster stated flatly, "Pandragon does not tan."

Valencio shook his head, mournfully, "Acting's a hard life."

Ronny consoled, "Sylvie's organised some gymnastics equipment - see what you can do."

"It was only a bit of play when I was a kid, because I had a friend who was a gymnast." He grinned, and added, "I don't mind playing again, of course."

Not long later, he was seeing if he could still raise his body with the rings and hold himself steady. He was heavier now than he'd been, and it was harder. He could still do it, barely.

Ronny watched him, and said quietly to Sylvie, "It's no wonder he needs a bodyguard."

"Really just someone to be with him, isn't it? So men don't make nuisances of themselves."

"Or women! Women could make nuisances of themselves as well."

"I can't imagine him attacking a woman. He could easily attack a man!"

Jean-Pierre was searching for his partner. Bloody Vince! It had been all he could do not to touch a lot more intimately! Schuster had what he wanted, and a whole bloody camera crew knew exactly what he wanted to do to Essan Pandragon. He'd best get it out of his system before he saw Vince again. Where was Bobby?

_xdividerx_

Tasha had a wonderful time at the beach. There was a film crew working just along a bit, and every morning a dozen horses needed to be exercised, galloping along the beach, and sometimes into the sea. But when Schuster suggested to the horse handler that he had a woman to be kept happy, who could ride and be useful, it hadn't occurred to him that Vince might also think a dawn gallop a great thing to be doing. Vince managed only three times before Schuster caught him, and made it very clear that he could not risk injury until the movie was finished.

Valencio was working very hard now, finishing each day feeling drained. The scenes with Vivienne went unexpectedly well, her resentment and dislike showing, but also that she couldn't help wanting him. Valencio put all he had into the seduction scene this time, though it was a stunt man who ran, panicked, across the road in the face of oncoming cars. Carefully choreographed with stunt drivers, but still risky. It was Valencio himself, who ran along the beach, scattering holiday makers. In the film, he would run for hours, not slowing down even when the sun went down.

There were close-ups in the studio afterwards, to be spliced in, when he had to look distraught. He found that difficult, out of context, and it was a long time before Schuster was satisfied.

He was seeing a lot less of Jean-Pierre, whose scenes were done separately, as he worked with Ronny, or simply rested, only alone in his own room, and then with the door locked.

The day of the climactic interview with the psychologist, Schuster ordered him to remove his shirt, and studied him closely. "You're looking thin," he judged, and ordered, "Don't get any thinner."

Valencio picked up his shirt and said, "I'll try not to."

Jean-Pierre commented, "Probably Pandragon might be getting thinner as well, with the strain."

Schuster said grudgingly, "Possibly..." Businesslike, he said, "Long scenes today, one take each, as much as possible. We want to keep up the tempo. Then we'll do the whole thing again tomorrow. This is the crux of the whole movie, the psychologist and Pandragon together. Afterwards, Pandragon decides he cannot live in this world. Movie ends with him curled up on the beach, the same as the opening scene, except without the egg, of course. At the very last, and only a glimpse, three eggs are seen, on the beach, at the edge of screen, each with the blurry outline of a naked man."

"Do I get to wear clothes when I die?"

"Two versions. In one you do, in one you don't. But that'll be at least two weeks yet."

Schuster turned to Jean-Pierre, "Jean-Pierre, do you know your lines?"

Jean-Pierre nodded. He'd been studying them. Schuster wanted utmost intensity, and Vince was at his best when he could stay in character as long as possible, though it was not the way Jean-Pierre liked to work. Jean-Pierre was very experienced, and had a stake in the success of the movie. With the foil of Vince McDonald, he was acting better than he ever had, putting more of himself into his acting, exposing himself, as he seldom liked to do.

At the end of the day, Ronny came to collect Valencio, who was just sitting, head hanging. He was tired, feeling the strain.

Ronny said, "We'll go swimming, I think. Work out some of the tension."

Schuster said sharply, "No tanning."

"In the indoor pool."

Valencio swam for nearly an hour, methodically, end to end of the pool, allowing the tensions of the day to drain away. Ronny was joined by Jean-Pierre, who felt too tired even to swim.

Ronny commented, "Sandy told me it's going to be great!"

"It is. I was worried when they said it was an unknown, but Vince can act!"

"He still says he's not doing any more."

"Tasha says he probably will. She thinks he just needs a rest, and then the right temptation, and Schuster fully plans to make sure there is the right temptation."

"I thought Schuster didn't like him much."

"You know Schuster. He never appears to like anybody. But he's very impressed with Vince's acting."

"Tasha's known him a long time, she told me. Which means she was probably in the same place Valencio was."

"I heard that rumour. I don't believe it. He would not have come back so sane if he'd been one of the so-called survivors."

Ronny said doubtfully, "He's very sensitive about men touching."

"Anybody would be who looked like that."

"Maybe you're right. Poor little Valencio is probably long dead."

"Did you ever know him?"

"I vaguely remember him. He used to hang around the stunt men a lot. I remember one complaining he was always asking questions."

Valencio joined them then, and remarked to Jean-Pierre, "The same thing all over tomorrow."

"It went very well today, but you know directors. Produce a work of genius, and they say, Not bad. Do it again."

Valencio laughed, and said to Ronny, "Am I having a lesson today?"

"I thought you'd be too tired."

"It's something completely different. And Schuster won't let me ride."

"Are they really using Tasha as an extra?"

Valencio nodded. "She's tickled pink. Like me, she's missing our horses."

"What's the film about?"

"A children's film, an adventure story. Several young teenagers who like to gallop along the beach, and take their horses swimming. It sounds like fun." He glanced at Jean-Pierre, and said, "And _no _nudity. If I ever do another film, I want one where I get to wear clothes_ all_ the time."

Jean-Pierre said, "You've had no trouble since Henderson, have you?"

"Only because I'm never alone. The movie industry seems full of predators."

"With your looks, I suppose it's inevitable."

Valencio spoke heatedly, "Men use that as an excuse, I think. No matter what I look like, it gives no-one the right to touch!"

Jean-Pierre said, in a matter-of-fact tone, "Maybe you should just hide yourself away again."

"I probably will." He grinned ruefully, "I went to a plastic surgeon in New York a while back. Asked him how much it would cost to break my nose and bend it, and maybe make a few lumps of scar tissue on cheeks and jaw. He told me he wouldn't consider it, it was unethical..." He paused, "And then he made a pass!"

They laughed, and he shrugged, "I'm over thirty now. All I have to do is wait twenty years, and I'll look perfectly ordinary."

"You would never have had this part if you looked ordinary."

"That's the thing, of course. It's an immense satisfaction to make a story into something real, but there are few movies where exceptional looks are a requirement, not for men."

A week later, he was sitting on the beach, but wearing a coverall loose robe. Not only could there be no tan marks, there could be no marks showing where clothing had been firm around him. Even his head was covered, with the robe, and with a large sun hat. He remarked to Jean-Pierre, sitting next to him, "I feel very foolish in this."

Jean-Pierre said soothingly, "As soon as you're dead, you can sunbake."

"I have to not quite kill you, first."

"You staying around for the Wrap Party?"

"Tasha wants to. And she's still involved with the horse adventure, so we can't go home."

"It's important to the crew. They appreciate the big stars being at the party."

"And I'm a big star?"

"When this movie comes out, you will be."

Valencio frowned, "I think I may have made a very bad error of judgement doing this film."

Jean-Pierre said briskly, "Don't be silly. It's a major achievement."

Schuster called, "Half an hour, Vince. Get yourself into character."

Valencio nodded, and started looking at the script. He already knew exactly what was needed, but it stopped people talking to him. He had to concentrate. Getting himself into character, as Schuster called it.

That day, Essan Pandragon faced the fact that he could not live. That he had to die. Schuster noted that Vince seemed a little thinner again, in spite of the sweetened milk drinks he'd been pushing on him.

Filming on location finished with the death of Pandragon. A few more minor things back at the studio, and then the filming would be finished. It was up to the editors after that. Tasha was still involved, and Valencio had to leave her, reluctantly. It was work, and one had to be professional.

"Publicity," Schuster said. "Jean-Pierre and Nikole, an appearance on Libby Wright's talk show, then a Press Conference. Vince, Schoen very much wants you as well."

Valencio shook his head, "I've sat for photos. Nothing else."

Schuster said, "Well, you're a free man. I can't make you."

Valencio grinned at him, and said, "It's very good to be a free man!"

Schuster said dryly, "I daresay," and thought that he was probably wise. Reporters were devils for getting things out of people they'd prefer to keep secret, and Valencio obviously wanted some things kept very secret.

The party, and Tasha was still not back. Ben Bgorn had too much to drink, was steered away from Valencio several times, but couldn't seem to leave him alone. Valencio became fed up, and told him fiercely that if he groped one more time, his face might never look the same again. Ben looked at him in astonishment, and was firmly pulled away by Jean-Pierre and Bobby. Definitely time to leave, Valencio thought, and looked for Ronny. But Ronny was in a corner with Dani, sitting very close and talking softly. Valencio shrugged, and left alone.

Phil Henderson's two hired bullies had been waiting their opportunity. One grabbed him by the shoulder in a corridor and spun him round, hitting. Valencio fell, momentarily dizzy, but pulled a knife and slashed, making sure not to connect. "Get back or you'll regret it." The knife point weaved slightly in a circle, threatening. There was one of his tiny shivs in his other hand, almost invisible. One of the men pulled his own knife, and Valencio said calmly, "I killed my first man when I was thirteen, knifed another in his right eye, injured others. I am too dangerous for you to risk."

One made a sudden movement, and Valencio's knife changed angle slightly, point upward, ready to kill. Still coolly, he asked, "Why are you attacking me?"

"Orders," grunted one. "You assaulted Mr. Henderson."

Valencio was half crouched, ready for instant action. His knife smoothly flowed into his other hand, and he had his shiv in his right hand. He showed them, and said, "Not even two inches long, just a bit of sharpened glass. It's how I killed when I was just a kid, a bit of glass just like this."

It was enough, and the men cautiously backed off. Valencio breathed a sigh of relief. He'd be in big trouble if he knifed somebody. Not the Spell of Pain, but gaol, probably. And there had been something on TV he'd watched, that implied that men in gaol routinely get raped. He couldn't go to gaol! That night, not only did he lock the door of his apartment, he jammed it shut with a chair. Definitely time to go home.

The following day, a routine scan of security film was studied very closely. The picture was reasonable, but the audio was very poor, and needed enhancement with computer technology. Influential men and women studied the final product, and the career of Phil Henderson was over.

One said, "McDonald claims to have killed. Should we show the police?"

Schoen said smoothly, "He's an actor, remember, and he made the men back down. It was just a bluff, but it worked." Schoen was very pleased. He still thought that Vince was the poor little boy kidnapped. If he was - it sounded like he just might have managed a little revenge! Valencio Durano had grown into a formidable man!

He showed it to Schuster, who said very little, but watched carefully. Schoen finally said, "Whether you're willing to admit it or not, he's a genius at his work. Even with potential problems, well worth the trouble."

"He works well under me. As long as he's not molested, there will be no problems. I'll do my best to ensure he's not molested."

Schoen smiled. Schuster wouldn't say he was a genius! He was not a man given to superlatives. He asked, "Do you remember the work of Livio Durano? He only did a few films, but I watched them again a few weeks ago. He was brilliant."

Schuster said briefly, "Before my time."

"You should watch them. He doesn't look much like Vince." He glanced at Schuster, "He became unreliable, unemployable, and died in an institution. They said he was psychotic."

Schuster said flatly, "There are no signs of any such problems with Vince, no matter what his past might have been."

_xchapter endsx_


	29. Chapter 29

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 29_:

Jimmy waited at the small Duich airport. Two guests were arriving by aeroplane. The airport was a regular part of his run, even when there were no guests, as there were often other passengers needing a ride into town. He wasn't expecting Valencio and Tasha, but welcomed them, embracing Tasha, then Valencio, wreathed in smiles.

"I didn't know you were coming!" he exclaimed, and said to Valencio, "You look very tired, Vince."

Valencio nodded, "I am, a bit. The last few weeks were gruelling."

A man and a woman hovered uncertainly, and Vince said to them, "Pam, Judd, this is Jimmy, who drives the bus."

Jimmy turned to them, and greeted them. Guests were not supposed to be ignored just because two of their own had returned unexpectedly.

Jimmy said, "We collect a few more passengers at Duich now, drop off one in Glen Kay, then Loch Lomand, then I pick up the girls from Bogridge, and bring them home. Regular route, though I may change the times in July, when the girls finish at school."

"How are they going?"

"Brigitta and Evita are confident, but Inge plays too much. She insists she's still doing enough to get through."

"The ones at university?"

"Thierry dropped out. Some ignorant young man refused to be put off. He upset her badly. She says she's not budging from home ever again."

Valencio said, "I don't think I will, either. It's the best place."

Tasha started talking to the new guests, describing standard activities. Jimmy chimed in, "Picnic races Saturday, and Connie's doing Origami."

Valencio asked, "What's Origami? Like Kung Fu?"

"Flower arranging."

Pam contradicted, "No, it's not. Origami is paper folding."

"Oh, well, Connie's doing flower arranging. Tickled pink with the gardens, lots of flowers, and we've got Svetlana who knows something about it."

Pam smiled, "I'd like that."

Jimmy continued, "The following Saturday, I'll be taking a busload to Bogridge for some Highland Games."

"Highland Games?"

"You should take part, Vince. See if you can toss a caber."

"What's a caber?"

"Dirty great log, I believe. I haven't seen it done, yet."

Valencio laughed, "I doubt if I can toss a dirty great log!"

They picked up six shoppers in Duich, one to be returned to Glen Kay, three to Bogridge, and Emma and Mary, who both had to hug and exclaim over the returned 'club members.'

"You're too thin," Emma accused Valencio.

He grinned ruefully, "I kept getting into trouble for that. Schuster seemed to think that I was doing it on purpose to annoy him." But he changed the subject. There was no need for either guests or locals to know that he'd done a film. "What have you been buying?"

Emma displayed her purchases for him, and chattered about the horses, two new ones from John's place, small ponies for children, very pretty.

Valencio asked, "Emanuelle's foal?"

"Expected any day."

"It's a shame there'll be none next year," remarked Tasha. "It's so lovely to see new foals."

Emma laughed, "Well, as to that, it appears that Jack may have taken care of it. Not even two years old, and he was found in the paddock with the riding horses, four mares surrounding him and very affectionate. He's gelded now, and we have to wait and see how many mares, if any, he succeeded with."

Jimmy called, "Take you right home, Marj?"

A stout, middle-aged woman answered, "That'd be lovely, Jimmy."

She had three large shopping bags, two of which proclaimed, _Kwai-Jeeha's Dress Shop, for relaxed dressing._ The large-size specialist dress shop was the result of Anne Corbett's complaints - that she had to go all the way to Edinburgh to find a decent range of large-size clothing. Valencio had repeated her complaint one day at dinner, and Kwai-Jeeha had taken up the challenge.

Loch Lomand next, and one of the women remarked as they drove up the long drive, "The gardens certainly are lovely."

Kaede was waiting to greet the new guests, and only beamed at Tasha and Valencio, who gave her a quick hug each, and started unloading luggage.

Jimmy helped, then said, "Back shortly," and drove the remaining shoppers to their homes in Bogridge, and then picked up the girls from school.

It was good to be home. To be greeted by Shona, ecstatic to see them, to have Ginger stare at them indifferently, and then take up her favourite perch on top of a cupboard as if they'd never been away. She was rather round in the middle, although Dot had been supposed to have treated her with a year-long anti-conception spell. Or was that last year? Belinda, who played the piano, and only nodded vaguely when someone told her that Vince and Tasha were back. Even to note that the paddocks were crying out for a clean-up, and the truck was broken down again.

The following morning, Valencio and Tasha rode the Pamela Track. It was beginning to be a tradition after an absence, and not just for Valencio and Tasha. The Pamela Track, the memorial to those who died, victims of the Khatabis. It was always ridden quietly, respectfully. Crio-magic, especially on start and finish, so that guests might not notice the narrow track, and decide to explore.

They stood together at the top afterwards. They could see for miles from that point. Tasha pointed to where Mary led a gentle ride toward the beginning of the Heidi Track. In the practice paddock, Gloria was watching two of the guests, who wanted to participate in the Picnic Races. If she judged them good enough, one would have Sirius, who nearly always won, and was sufficiently good tempered to tolerate different riders. No guest who won a horse race, ever went home displeased..

Tasha asked, "What are your plans for the afternoon? Entertain guests?"

"I'm taking a week off before taking any notice of guests. Too tired."

"Then what?"

"Would you like to come with me and we'll visit Joe and Anne?"

"Give them my regards, but I like the sound of Svetlana's Ikebana classes."

"Flowers?"

Tasha confirmed, "Flowers," and suggested, "Fast canter home?"

Valencio looked doubtfully at Dragon Breath. "Am I too heavy for him?"

"Of course not. He's a strong pony, and anyway, it's not far, and all downhill."

The dining room seemed almost empty at lunch time, with some outside workers away, some serving, and some being hosts for the guests. Only one of the four long tables was in use. Valencio said, "I hope some decide to stay forever. I want to."

Tasha said, "It can always be our home base, but I want to travel, as well. I've had too few experiences in my life."

"Hollywood was an experience."

Tasha decided it was too early yet to talk of his next film, and asked Gloria about the arrangements for the Picnic Races instead. Gloria never ate with the guests. She didn't mind organising the horse-riding, but she was too impatient to be always polite.

Narzu-Han's report for May. It was Galina this time, and she gave her report personally, thinking that there was really very little new to report. Well and happy, busy, popular with the guests. What else? "Someone told me he burst into the dining room one day, when everyone was in the middle of breakfast to say that Emanuelle had had her foal, and was absolutely beautiful, and they could all go and see it instantly if they wanted. And half of them did, though I really don't know why it couldn't wait until after breakfast."

Narzu-Han laughed. Galina smiled, thinking what else would amuse the boss. "I heard he was pulled up for speeding, given a colossal lecture, but not fined. He was laughing about it, I heard, and said that all one had to do was look at the ground and be very remorseful, and Clem always lets him off."

Narzu-Han smiled fondly, and wished very much that he could go and see him. "Did you hear any more about a possible job that someone spoke of in November?"

"Only that he did a couple of commercials last year, advertising that is, but so have a few of the others."

Narzu-Han sighed. His boy was contented. He must not go near him, must not disturb him in any way. Either Galina or Feena would go back in July, and check on him. The booking was already made, though they could only get three days. School holidays, it seemed, and booked out months ahead.

_xdividerx_

At the start of summer, Valencio and three male guests helped fence off an area for some new livestock. It was not only for Adolfina and Ingrid, but also for Evita, who wanted to do a course to qualify her as a Veterinary Nurse. The local vet was helpful, and they all knew him well. They wanted a dozen of the Highland black-faced sheep, some dairy cows, and some goats. Evita wanted pigs as well, but Joe Corbett suggested she leave it a little, as pigs could be awkward animals to look after.

They already had poultry, and therefore eggs, though no-one ever suggested that any of their hens should be killed and eaten. There were still about seventy mouths to feed, including the forty guests, and they needed to buy in bulk. Besides, the hens were named, and everyone knows that you can't eat an animal with a name.

Valencio had tan marks now. He liked to work with his shirt off, especially the dirty jobs. He'd almost forgotten Pandragon, deeply involved in the work of Loch Lomand. When this job was finished, he'd start working through the vehicles, servicing each one, though Carol had forbidden him to 'repair' any except his truck. And then there was that narrow valley whose entrance was blocked with thorny berry bushes. Cam said that he was sure he remembered an orchard through there, but it was going to take some work to make a path through.

At the beginning of July, Kane was back, this time with a friend. From then on, Kane and Adam were constantly at his heels, whenever they were not having riding lessons. They were staying a month. Adam's mother was not only working, but very much involved with a new boyfriend, grateful that Kay Stevenson would look after Adam, though she was paying. To their thrilled surprise, they were allocated a cottage right next to Vince and Tasha. There were two other cottages, and they, too, were allocated to families, as almost all the units only had one bedroom.

The riding lessons were every morning, and the boys practised on the spotted ponies, for the pairs, and for a children's jumping event, the jumps no more than two feet high. They were to go to Glen Kay gymkhana, and were practising hard. There were other contestants among the guests. There would also be the girls as usual, Mary and Gloria, as usual, and Tasha was practising for the show jumping, using one of the horses on long term loan from John's place, a middle aged chestnut gelding called Heathcliffe. She would also probably be in the pairs with a guest. They were always needing volunteers for that, and they had several pairs of horses now, trained for the job, one of each pair apt to ignore all signals from his rider, and do instead, what the other horse was doing.

The Loch Lomand contingent was known and expected at all the local gymkhanas now, and they were beginning to think they should work at providing different costumes. Their Mongol hordes were too predictable, though there were always men who loved looking wonderfully fierce, and taking their photos home to show their workmates.

By mid-July, the cars were all serviced, Vince's truck was working, at least for the time being, and the horse paddocks were reasonably clean. At breakfast, Vince said, "If anyone wants a thoroughly uncomfortable ride trying to find somewhere to overlook a particular valley, you're welcome to join me this morning."

"Is that like you're exploring?" asked Adam.

"You could say that. There's supposed to be an old orchard, but the entrance to the valley is choked with prickle trees."

Kay Stevenson remarked, "Maybe there's an enchanted castle behind it with sleeping beauty."

Valencio looked at her, puzzled, and she said, "Don't you know the story?"

Valencio said no, and Kay suggested, "Kane, you tell him."

Kane told him, at length. One of the men remarked, "So if we find her, who gets to do the kiss?"

Two men, as well as the boys, wanted to go exploring, and Valencio suggested tough clothes, as they would probably come back scratched. "Tired, as well, as we may have to walk, even crawl."

Kane said, "Can we have practice with Tiffany first?"

Valencio nodded, "I'll wait for you. We'll take the black ponies, including pack ponies, take the chainsaw, and maybe a few machetes, and if you like, we'll take a picnic lunch."

They definitely wanted a picnic lunch, so straight after breakfast, he placed his order with Bernice, and then joined Thierry, who was working with the young horses, leading them about, handling them, brushing them, all the things that Susan had suggested. Even the foal, only two months old, came in for his share of handling. Emanuelle watched benignly. Thierry, still often frightened of people, never seemed frightened of the horses. Kennedy was hers now, and no-one else rode him.

None of the horses took any notice of Shona, or of Thierry's Labrador. They were all accustomed to the dogs around. Valencio gave Jack a special grooming, sorry for him because he'd been gelded. At least he'd had one fling. Like himself with Gloria that time, when he'd thought it more likely than not, that he'd wake up one morning to find that something was different.

He said to Thierry, "You're doing a great job with them."

Thierry smiled, "I like young things."

"Do you want one of Ginger's kittens?"

"Tasha's promised me two!"

"You're contented here?"

"There's plenty to do, and I help sometimes in Maliwan's shop, sometimes in Mildred's. I'd like to see Paris again one day, but otherwise I think I'll live my life just here."

"John chose well."

Thierry agreed, and said, "I'm glad we're not costing him any money, and even the motel is returning a profit to Paul Pickering, and I don't think he ever expected that."

Valencio checked Gloria's list of available horses, and then saddled five, and equipped two more with pack bags. There were the machetes, and lunch and drinks for five. There was a chainsaw as well, that had a child-repelling crio, like the fences of Bluey's paddock. They probably wouldn't be far away when they had their picnic, but things like that made their guests happy.

In the practice paddock, the boys cantered slowly around Tiffany. There was also Kane's sister, Carrie, and three adult guests of similar standard. In a separate area, three smaller children were bumping around on smaller ponies, Revenge, who hardly ever bit people any more, and the two from Bellamy's place. They were the foals of his beloved Bess, they knew.

Bellamy still dropped in now and then, not very often. He, Najia and Zhor were currently in Lebanon, whose head of wizardry, the moment he knew who his visitors were, nervously promised immediate attention to new laws that protected Medj from harassment by Anirage .

Tiffany called a halt, said they were all doing very well, and Kane called out importantly, "Be there soon, Vince. Just have to settle the horses."

Valencio turned to a tug at his arm, and a little girl said, "Hello, Vince. My name's Laura."

Valencio smiled at her, and said, "You were riding Fairy Floss, weren't you?"

The little girl nodded, and said, "She likes me, but Damir is prettier."

"They're both very pretty, and nice and small, just for people like you."

"I'm going in the gymkhana, as well, but Mum's going to lead me because Fairy Floss is not very experienced and might get frightened."

Kane and Adam must have been very quick, because he noticed them waiting expectantly next to the black ponies. Daniel and Chris were also there, and he said, "Excuse me, Laura, but they're waiting for me."

Laura nodded, liking it that he treated her almost as if she was grown-up.

Ten minutes later, the five started working their way around the side of a mountain. The ponies were sure-footed and placid. Even when a hare ran across in front of Bluejoe, he only pricked his ears and snorted, though Shona took off after it.

"We're following a deer track, I think," commented Valencio, in the lead. "Inge told me there's a clearing ahead where you get a good view."

Kane said nervously, "It's a bit scary!"

Valencio looked back. If they fell, there would certainly be a long fall. He asked, "Would you prefer to walk?" He shouldn't have brought anyone. It hadn't occurred to him that it might be dangerous.

Chris said, "I'll dismount and walk with Kane."

"Are you alright, Adam?"

"I'm not frightened," Adam replied nervously. Without comment, Daniel dismounted, knotted the reins of his pony so they wouldn't drag, and went to the head of Adam's horse.

Valencio said, "I'm sorry. I should have explored it first."

Kane felt happier with Chris holding his pony's reins, and said, "It wouldn't have been a real exploration, then."

Chris pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone, "We can't turn around here in any case. We'll just have to go on for a bit."

The track closed in ahead, and Valencio edged back to Ruby, and picked up a machete. The men stood with the boys, and waited as he slashed at shrubbery, clearing the path ahead. But it was only a little way, and quite suddenly, the path widened. He said cheerfully, "Better now. I think this was a road at some stage."

Chris remarked to Kane, "It's just like life. Difficult patches, and just when you think it's always going to be tough, you come to an easy bit."

Valencio said, coming to a halt, "And just when you think it's plain sailing, you come to a hole in the road."

Chris and Daniel joined him as he stood at the edge of a rockfall. He looked up and around, and then at the boys. "I'll have to take them back. I made a mistake."

Kane called, "Look up there. There's a way around." He was pointing.

Chris's voice was hushed, "There's a deer!"

The doe was regarding them, ears pointed, before, quite slowly, moving away. A fawn followed her closely. No humans had molested the deer here for generations.

Valencio said, "How about you all wait here, and I'll just explore a little way ahead."

Chris said, "Be careful, Vince!"

"I'll be careful."

The track was very narrow, but it was negotiable, even with the horses. Valencio followed it until he was on the wider road again, and then returned, pushing with his feet, making sure it was safe. There would be a jump up for the ponies, and they'd have to go separately, not be ridden. It was possible. He walked back again, and narrowed his eyes. He knew where he was - just a little way across country, and they'd find the Heidi Track. He came back, smiling. "We can go on, and quite safely. Just that we'll have to walk for a little."

Chris said, "Would it be better to take the boys back?"

"I think we'll be able to return by the Heidi Track, which, I think, is only a few hundred metres away, though down and up again. But we might find this road goes somewhere as well."

Kane said, "I want to keep going," and Adam said, "Me, too."

Valencio grinned at them, "I was irresponsible, I shouldn't have brought you here, and Carol's going to go crook. But we're here now, so we might as well continue."

Once past the rockfall, the track was wide and well defined. The boys remounted, but the men continued walking, three abreast now. "It might have been an ancient way," remarked Daniel, "From the time even before the Romans."

Valencio paused, and pointed. There was a tiny stone statue next to a trickling spring which had cut a groove across the road.

Daniel said quietly, "A god, I think. This must be a very old road."

The boys dismounted and came forward, touching the statue. Kane beamed at Valencio, "This is a real exploration, and we found something important."

Chris smiled, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Daniel remarked, "You're a history teacher aren't you, Chris? Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"Only in museums."

Valencio walked cautiously to the dropoff at the edge of the road. It seemed solid enough. He shaded his eyes and peered.

Chris asked, "No binoculars?"

"I should have brought some, didn't think of it." He pointed. "What do you reckon? Do they look like fruit trees?"

"I think so, and some seem to be in rows. Some look dead, and maybe some are even self-sprouted. It could be an old and forgotten orchard."

Valencio said to Kane, "No sleeping beauty castle so far."

"A god, though, and an ancient way, and a deer and a fawn."

Adam asked, "Is it lunch time yet?"

Valencio said, "There should be a clearing ahead. Inge suggested that would be a good place for lunch."

Adam mounted his pony in an obvious hint. The men smiled and mounted their own ponies. Boys were always hungry.

They started descending, steeply enough that first the men and then the boys dismounted, letting the ponies pick their way without the impediments of riders. They found their clearing in the orchard, but Chris and the boys explored, while Valencio and Daniel set out a picnic lunch.

The boys came racing back at Vince's whistle, Adam reporting breathlessly, "There's some graves, and a ruined stone hut, and Kellie and Clara are eating apples, but they don't look ripe."

Valencio said, "I wonder if you can hire some sort of machinery that makes a tunnel in thorn bushes."

Kane looked at him disapprovingly, and said, "There's a pond over there, where you can wash." Valencio looked at his dirty hands, and went and washed.

Afterwards, the men and boys sat around, feeling happy with themselves. They had explored. There had been difficulties, and they had won through. Kane and Adam felt important, part of a gathering of men. In a pause in the conversation, Kane made the most of the opportunity. "Vince, do you know about sex?"

Valencio said uncertainly, "I guess so."

"Then will you tell Adam and me because we need to know, and there's no-one to ask."

"Your fathers?"

"Adam hasn't seen his father for years, and I couldn't ask mine."

Valencio looked at Chris, and said, "Chris is a school teacher. I wouldn't know how to tell you."

Chris said, "You're both only ten. There will be sex education classes at school in a few years. There always are."

Adam said, "We need to know now."

Chris looked thoughtfully at Valencio, who seemed to be looking at him almost as anxiously as the boys. He sighed, and began. The boys listened closely.

Adam asked, "Do men sometimes have sex with other men?"

"Yes. When a man is attracted to other men, rather than women, it's called homosexuality."

"Is it a bad thing?"

"No, it's just that I don't think homosexuals have as satisfactory a life as heterosexuals normally do."

"How would they have sex?"

Chris said briskly, "It's none of your concern. That's for grownups."

Valencio said plainly, "Sometimes, men want boys. If a man says you're beautiful, if a man pulls you close and fondles bottom or genitals, what you do is kick him as hard as you can, run fast, and tell your mother. If your mother doesn't want to know, tell someone else until someone takes notice."

There was a long silence. Neither of the men looked at Valencio.

Kane asked directly, "Vince, how would a man have sex with a boy?"

Valencio said, "He pushes his penis into the boy's bottom, and has sex that way."

"Would it hurt?"

Valencio advised briefly, "Don't let it happen."

Kane glanced at Adam, and said, "Do you want to see the ruins again, Adam?"

Adam rose to his feet, and left with Kane, speeding to a run almost immediately.

Valencio said defensively, "They needed to know, to be warned."

Chris said calmly, "I guess they wouldn't have pressed so hard if they didn't need to know."

Daniel started packing up the remains of the food.

Valencio asked, though looking at the trees, "Chris, how common is it that boys get raped?"

"Very rare, I believe, Vince."

Valencio breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Maybe it was just general curiosity then."

Daniel pointed at the boys who were running, pushing each other, and then falling, and wrestling. He said, "If there had been anything, maybe with Adam, it couldn't have gone very far. Maybe your warning was enough that it will never happen."

Chris said, "I should have done it myself, shied off from it."

Valencio gave him a smile of gratitude. They were not condemning him, in spite of the strong implication that he'd suffered rape as a boy, but he felt queasy, unsettled. He hid his unease, and pretended to be as cheerful as the boys now seemed to be.

They explored, and Valencio said, "We'll open up a track through the thorn bushes, and it can be the Adam Track, and the top one, made safer, can be the Kane Track, if you like."

The boys gave him enormous grins, and Kane said, "That'd be great."

Adam asked, "Can there be a sign at the start, like for the Heidi Track?"

"Sure."

Chris asked, "You going to open it up, then?"

"I think so. Maybe plant new apple trees, and find out what other fruit grows here."

"Berries, probably."

"Not oranges?"

"Not in this climate!" Valencio was surprisingly ignorant sometimes, Chris thought.

Valencio went to a pack basket that lay on the ground, and pulled out his chainsaw. "Now?" asked Daniel in astonishment.

"There's a bit that looks less dense. If I start from this side, we may even find the old road through. The castle might only be ten minutes away!"

He started to work. His chainsaw was one of his best toys. The boys were happy, and his insides, after a while, stopped churning. Chris said it was very rare that boys were raped by men. The way in front of Valencio suddenly cleared, and he walked fifty metres before the thorn bushes closed in again.

Chris said in a brief pause in the noise, "We won't be able to come back this way. Too many thorns and we'd lame the horses."

Valencio asked, "What time is it?"

"Only three, you can work a while yet."

Another clear piece of road, and another burst with the chainsaw. Valencio grinned, "The back of the machinery shed. The boys can walk home."

But the boys objected strenuously to such a tame end to their adventure, and the ponies instead climbed the steep route to the 'Kane Track,' which Kane said had to be the 'Kane Way,' not the Kane Track, but found that the road petered out next to a waterhole.

Valencio said, "It's what we call the Deep Hole, except that I've never been this side." He pointed, "Just over there is the Heidi Track, and if we want, we can canter home by Gundarrson's Gallop." He grinned at the boys, "Have you done any jumping yet?"

Adam said, "I've jumped two foot six."

Kane nodded. He had, too.

The seven ponies made easy work of the canter, although Valencio had the boys close behind him, and led them around two of the highest obstacles. Chris and Daniel chose to avoid them too, as the ponies were tiring.

For the next several days, Valencio worked on the Adam Track, opening a way into the old orchard, and when Bellamy visited a few days later, he took him on the 'Kane Way,' showed him the god statue, and requested he make some crio-magic so that no visitor tried to take it away.

Oddly, Bellamy paused, cocked his head slightly, as if feeling, and said, "It already has a crio on it. I can feel it. Won't hurt to reinforce it, though." He looked at the statue a moment, presumably making the spell, and then offered, "If you want, I'll ask Peter Barnes to visit, and he can make the narrow track a lot safer using magic."

Valencio hesitated, but then smiled, "That'd be great." Peter was Bellamy's property manager, and Oliver's father.

A fortnight later, Kane and Adam were still at Loch Lomand, though Chris and Daniel were gone. Galina came, stayed three days, and reported that Vince McDonald was fine, working hard to open up what he called 'The Kane Way.'

"He called it after the boy, Kane?"

"There's another named after a boy called Adam. The boys left the same day I did, very happy after doing well in a gymkhana."

"They liked Vince?"

"They appeared to idolise him, and spent hours with him every day."

It didn't seem likely, but Feena was sent to visit Kane again, and reported back. "It seems that they asked Vince about sex, and he told them how a man could rape a boy. Kane said Adam kicked his mother's boyfriend as hard as he could, and Adam hasn't seen him since."

Narzu-Han said, "Can you organise an August report?"

Feena said casually, "Only if you marry me."

Narzu-Han stared at her in blank amazement. A Khatabi didn't marry. He'd never even thought of it.

Feena took in his expression, and walked out of the room. Time to leave him.

Narzu-Han sat down, and thought about his boy. He'd punished him once, brutally, because Valencio had shown him what he thought about his family. The Spell of Pain until he was all but dead. Some people never recovered mentally from something like that, even when they recovered physically. Valencio had. He was a brave boy. And now he was a man, sane, well, and happy, in spite of everything. He was married, though Tasha could never have children, of course.

Feena could probably have children. She was only in her thirties, and she was precious to him. Narzu-Han shook his head and laughed. He'd prided himself on his intelligence, and had never considered doing the obvious thing - making himself happy by having someone close, all the time. Stupid being lonely. He hurried out of his office, calling, "Feena!"

The August report had to wait a little, until Narzu-Han and Feena returned from their honeymoon. Galina smiled at Narzu-Han, who wore an unaccustomed look of content.

"Well?" he asked.

"Same as usual. There was a wedding, and there were a lot more of what they call 'club members' around."

"Who married?"

"Jimmy and Brigitta. They're going to America, where Jimmy has a job."

"So what did you do while you were there?"

"Would you believe that I milked a cow?"

Narzu-Han laughed, and Galina grinned. "Ingrid showed me how. She says she'll start university, but not until next year, and then it's six years before she qualifies as a vet."

So another seven years he had to send annual payments for the support of Ingrid.

_xdividerx_

September. There was still a bus run, but Farfalla did it now, and sometimes Clarence or Gary. Valencio missed Jimmy, who'd been such a companion for so long. But Jimmy had been feeling confined a long time, and Brigitta had also been looking forward to broadening her horizons. He still had Clarence, his only true male friend for so many years. Clarence might not work with him as much any more, but they were still close.

There was an invitation to go to an advance screening of the Son of Satan, expected to be released in November. It was in Hollywood, and Valencio declined without even consulting Tasha, who would probably have wanted to go. Their bank balance was substantial now, and the fares were no problem. Two weeks later, there was a letter from Laurie Klein, Valencio's agent. Valencio and Tasha could go to Edinburgh, watch the film with him, and then celebrate afterwards.

Valencio showed Tasha this time, very pleased that someone had considered him enough to send the film to Laurie. He was sure it could not be usual practice, advance copies of major films usually being surrounded with enormous security. There was a note that the musical score was not complete, and there could still be minor changes of editing. Yet it was the film he'd made, complete.

Laurie welcomed them with open arms, making a tremendous fuss of both Valencio and Tasha, until Valencio felt frankly embarrassed, though Tasha loved it. "There's a few others to watch, as well," Laurie said. "Dan O'Connor, you know, the studio manager, his wife, Susan O'Connor," and he beamed. "Hermann Schuster, Jean-Pierre Dequienne, Robert Lorusso, Sylvie Staines, even Ernie Schoen made the trip!"

Valencio shook hands all around, but he was guarding his expression now. He didn't understand why they were all here, and he was sure that Inge had told him that Jean-Pierre was in the middle of a new film.

Tasha looked surprised, and said, "I would have thought you would have already seen it! Schuster and Ernie made it!"

Both Tasha and Valencio had spent many years in a wizard enclosure, where even the most powerful were known by their given names. It never occurred to them to say _Mr._ Schuster, _Mr_. Schoen, as some of the others did. Hermann Schuster was an exception. He was known universally as just Schuster, as John Bellamy was known, by almost everyone aside from his medj, just as Bellamy.

Jean-Pierre smiled and said, "It's to be released in November, in time for Academy Award nominations in January. We wanted to shake Vince's hand before he was too famous for us ordinary mortals."

Valencio grinned, red-faced, "Don't be silly."

"So what've you been doing lately, Vince?"

"Digging up some land in order to plant apple trees, also maybe some berry bushes," and he said to Schuster, "I now have obvious tan marks, a deep scratch on my back, and a whopping bruise on my shoulder from when I fell off my horse."

Schuster remarked to Laurie, "He didn't always remember to take care of himself. I had to remind him sometimes."

Laurie said, "Dan has everything ready," and he led them to a small screening room and switched off the lights. A sweep of orchestral music sounded.

Valencio said, "I thought the music wasn't finished yet."

"Pretty much finished, just that the composer is still fiddling with bits here and there. She says she wants an award, as well."

Tasha asked, "Is it that good?"

"One of the best I've made," Schuster said.

The picture began. Dawn, and a panoramic view of prairie land, as the opening credits rolled. Produced by ... Directed by... Starring... And Tasha beamed in immense satisfaction as her husband's name appeared in large lettering, straight after Jean-Pierre's.

Laurie noted it, but also that Vince was not smiling, looking instead rather remote, almost as if not interested. He was worrying again about his loss of anonymity.

A little over three hours later, the film technician slowly raised the lighting, giving those with wet eyes a chance to surreptitiously wipe them. Valencio had lived it, and still stared into the distance. He'd had to die, because he could not live. His eyes roamed slowly around the unfamiliar theatre, and then to Tasha, who had her head bowed and was breathing jerkily. He put an arm around her and said teasingly, "Not true, love."

Tasha took a long, shuddering breath, and said, "I was just remembering..."

Laurie said slowly, "There's a theory that an actor cannot convey an emotion he hasn't lived through."

Valencio said briskly, "Nonsense. Just a matter of knowing what to do with your expression, of face and body."

Jean-Pierre regarded him, eyebrow raised. That was what his teacher had told him, and that was how he mostly acted - but it wasn't how Vince acted. And what had Tasha been remembering?

He guessed that it might be true then, though he hadn't believed it before. That Vince McDonald had been Valencio Durano, who'd disappeared only a few weeks after filming had finished for Spindrift. If that was so, he was probably a 'survivor,' who'd reappeared only about three years before. Probably why he couldn't play golf or any other competitive sport, why he hadn't known about the catastrophe in Alaska, or that the Mars space base had been abandoned. He'd been in some sort of a prison from the time he was a child of twelve, up until he was a full grown man.

Laurie said, "Drinks and refreshments in the room next door, and if Jean-Pierre and Vince are willing, a few of the staff want autographs."

Valencio shook his head, and said, "No interviews, no autographs."

Jean-Pierre glanced at him, and said, "I don't mind doing it for a half hour, so you can spread the word, if you like."

Tasha asked Valencio, "Why not, Vince?"

"Because people should have better things to do than waste time collecting signatures!"

Jean-Pierre remarked, "It can be tedious, but a star can become a has-been very quickly. Being nice to fans helps ensure continued popularity."

Valencio shrugged.

Schoen and Schuster were attentive to Tasha, while Jean-Pierre and Bobby talked to Valencio about the sheer fun of a choreographed sword fight. Valencio was amused at the pains they were taking to make Tasha feel important. If that's what they wanted to do... He smiled to himself. He had enjoyed very much making Son of Satan. Maybe he would read a script if they sent him one, even without pressure from Tasha.

Sylvie joined them, and asked, "Did you know that a security video showed you being threatened by a couple of toughs the night of the wrap party?"

Valencio looked his surprise, "I didn't know there were cameras there."

"They're not obvious. Anyway, Phillip Henderson has left Hollywood, and is very unlikely to threaten you again."

"I was immensely relieved when they backed off. It could have been nasty."

"For your next film, you will have two assigned bodyguards, invariably one with you, so that nothing like that happens again."

Valencio hesitated, and finally said, "I doubt I'll be back. Having to have bodyguards - it just shows what a sick environment it is!"

"You were not seriously molested aside from that, were you?"

"Only minor things. I don't care if people look, just as long as they keep their hands off."

"Do you always carry a knife?"

Valencio shook his head, "Just a little piece of harmless glass, usually. You can get into trouble for carrying a knife."

"You said you killed with a piece of glass."

"Of course I didn't kill! I just wanted to frighten them off." He added, "I didn't mention it to Tasha. No need to worry her."

Sylvia asked, "By the way, what languages do you speak?"

"English, Greek, of course, French, German, Japanese. A bit of Dutch, and some Malay."

"All fluent?"

"Conversational, not like a native."

"Arabic?"

"A few words."

"How did you learn them all?"

Valencio shrugged, "The neighbourhoods my family lived in tended to be filled with poor immigrants. I developed an interest, and after the first few, it seems to get easier."

"And that was also how you learned to fight!" put in Bobby.

"That's right," blandly agreed Valencio, and asked Bobby what he was working on now.

"The same film Jean-Pierre's in," Bobby replied. "He always asks them to give me a part, and I'm a competent actor, so it's no skin off their nose."

"What's it about?"

For the next hour, Valencio managed to keep the conversation away from himself. He'd answered the question about languages. He thought that Sylvia might have a script she was considering him for, and quite suddenly, he did, indeed, want to do another movie. There was nothing else that gave him more satisfaction, not even his new orchard.

Schuster joined him, regarded him with a half smile, and asked, "Happy with Son of Satan?"

Valencio grinned, and said, "I knew it could be a great movie!"

Schuster said, as he'd said before, "We'll get awards for Son of Satan, and if there's a bit of controversy about a few of the scenes, then so much the better. Increases demand."

"Quite mild compared to how I remember them."

"Had to be toned down. America's a very conservative market." He asked abruptly, "How do you like Vivienne Lancaster?"

"I never got a chance to know her. She detested me."

"Do you think you can work with her?"

"If she can work with me."

"She did a remake of Gone with the Wind recently. She was stunning."

"She's very beautiful."

"She has to make the most of it. Insufficient talent to continue big, once her beauty fades."

Valencio frowned, "You're wrong. I think Vivienne is capable of a lot more than she's ever had to bother showing."

Schuster said in freezing tones, _"I'm_ wrong?"

Valencio nodded casually, "Wrong."

Schuster looked at him, seething, and abruptly turned and went to get himself another drink.

Bobby grinned, and said, "You're not diplomatic, Vince."

Valencio replied, "Of course I'm diplomatic. I haven't punched anyone in months!"

_xdividerx_

As was natural, Valencio and Tasha stayed at the Loch Lomand Edinburgh Motel. There was a special dinner that evening for Vince, Tasha, and those of their group who lived in Edinburgh - the eleven going to university, and Hilde and Mariabella, who ran the motel. Shirley, Deirdre, Lucy and Eva also worked in Edinburgh, but only Shirley was present, all the others now married.

"It'll be released in November," Tasha said. "Take no notice of Vince, he gets embarrassed and thinks no-one should actually watch it."

"Good movie?"

"Takes all your attention, and leaves you like a wet rag. If you like that sort of thing, it's a _great _movie."

Shirley said, "Remember Kaede's plays? Vince was always the star."

Treen asked, "Will this be your second Oscar, Vince?"

"The old one didn't count. Just a gesture because there was a poor kid disappeared. If I get one this time, it'll count!"

"Going to do another one?"

"I don't know."

Dean was visiting his London office, as he did every month or two, and Tasha and Valencio joined him there the following day. He always stayed at quite a modest hotel, as Valencio liked to pay his own way. He didn't quite realise that Valencio and Tasha thought they were rich now, from the proceeds of just one movie. Compared to Dean's wealth, or the money waiting to be claimed by Valencio Durano, their savings were not large. On the other hand, their expenses were low, and about all they'd actually bought was the new car and a few clothes. Carol had refused to accept any of their money, saying that there was not the slightest need.

Dean welcomed them with pleasure, as he always did, listened with interest to what they had to say, and asked them to his wedding, his fifth, in a fortnight's time. Valencio was surprised, and asked, "Grace?"

"No, I took your advice, and looked for an older woman. Her name's Amanda. Not so beautiful, but full of wisdom as well as charm."

Tasha smiled at him warmly, "I hope you'll be very happy."

Dean said contentedly, "I think I will be. If I'm as lucky as Vince in his marriage, I certainly will be."

Tasha was flattered. She still had a need to be appreciated, and not just by Valencio and the others. She asked, "Where are you getting married?"

"Rhodes, and then honeymooning there. I especially want you, and your room's already booked."

Valencio assured him, "Of course we'll be there."

Tasha asked, "Where's Rhodes?"

"One of the Greek Islands."

Valencio said ruefully, "I suppose we should have known that."

"Others of your age probably would have done, but then, some people, some places, scarcely know the next village."

"That's a consolation."

Dean smiled at them, "I'll provide travel details, and I want you to allow me to cover the expense."

"No need. I told you. They gave me a lot of money for the movie."

Dean said gently, "I'd appreciate it, Vince. I have not been able to do much for you, and I want you at my wedding."

Valencio smiled at him, and thanked him.

Tasha said, "Remember our wedding, Vince? No special meal, no real formalities, just the service that Kaede devised, and everyone close."

"You had that much freedom?"

"In many ways, we were treated well. Very well fed, sheltered, and seldom hurt." The pendreiya that Bellamy had put on did not have just the straightforward effect. Without trying, they found they could speak of their captivity, and yet not get tripped into speaking of magic.

Valencio smiled at Tasha. "It was your idea. I'd thought of it before, and dismissed the notion, because I thought we could not be properly married in such an unnatural life. But it was important. Not the frills, but we were married, and it was good."

Tasha smiled back at him, and spoke softly, "We were married, and it was good."

Dean was wondering if there were children there at that time. He didn't ask, not wanting to spoil what Vince and Tasha apparently regarded as a happy and significant day. Instead, after a pause, he asked, "Do you have errands to do in London this time, Vince?"

"An order for fabric for Amreeta, a list of books to order, a visit to a Fancy Dress shop," and he smiled at Tasha. "New clothes. We have a wedding to go to."

Tasha asked Dean, "Shouldn't Vince have a suit or tuxedo or something?"

"Of course."

He looked at their worried faces, and said, "You have no idea what to wear, do you."

Valencio shook his head, and said, "The women always look beautiful, but I have a feeling there's a whole set of rules for men's dressing that I just don't know."

"You're probably right. Do you have any suit at all?"

"Afraid not."

Dean rose, "I'll take you to the tailor I always use. London has the best. We can have some things made up, and I'll give you a written list that explains what's suitable for what occasion."

Valencio was relieved. "That'd be great."

Tasha said, "There could be formal occasions in Hollywood, as well."

Valencio said casually, "We can just not go."

Tasha decided to leave the argument until it was no longer hypothetical.

At the tailors, Valencio frowned at the small and fussy man doing the measurements. Dean watched him, amused, and said casually, "Don't hit him, Vince, just because he has to do an inside leg measurement."

Valencio said, "I've been measured for costumes before, and have never hit anyone."

The tailor took care to be strictly impersonal, only raving afterwards to his colleague - "Such a body! There was a bruise on his shoulder, and it was all I could do not to stroke. He'd just have to snap his fingers, and he'd have me!"

"What's he ordered?"

"Five suits, and Mr. Blockman said we should keep his measurements, so he can just order what he wants by phone. Describe the occasion, and we advise him what to wear."

"Who was paying?"

"On Mr. Blockman's account."

The second man chuckled, and said, "His fiancée would not be happy to know about his young man!"

But Tony shook his head. "I don't think it's like that. There was none of that feel. And he didn't seem the slightest tempted by me, and you know, I'm a bit obvious, I'm afraid."

Timothy grinned, "You are a bit!"

Meantime, Dean, Tasha and Valencio were at a Fancy Dress place, asking about fake sets of armour. The Committee had authorised the expenditure for several knight costumes for their male guests. So now Dean watched as Valencio tried on a knight costume, complete with armour, more sets of armour were ordered, and a single costume for a lady of the middle ages. They would use it as a model, and make variations.

Valencio asked, "Can you get armour for horses?"

The manager hesitated, and then started flicking through catalogues.

Tasha commented, "The armour's good. Not too heavy, but it looks real."

"We'd use the biggest horses, Gloria's Percherons, Madigan maybe, Caesar maybe."

Tasha said to Dean, "Victor was in Fancy Dress on Madigan once, and the horse loved being cheered so much he kept prancing back in front of the grandstand for more."

Dean laughed. He knew where they were, and what they did now, as the secrecy had been relaxed these past few months - although only for families. No reporters had tracked them down, but only due to Daryl's crio-magic.

_xdividerx_

Tasha loved Rhodes, and said they had to start travelling a lot more. Valencio pointed out, "The money for the film won't last forever."

"Then you do another!" She smiled at her husband, "You always said how you wished you could give me everything I want."

"I do, but..." Valencio was still ambivalent about returning to Hollywood. One day he'd think of the challenge of making a story come real, of living a different role, and the next he'd think of the negative aspects of the life. The starlets who sold sex in exchange for a part, the bullying, the drugs and the sleaze. Ben Bgorn, who groped, others who looked at him, just waiting for an opportunity. He was surprised that Tasha never had any trouble, but she pointed out that Hollywood was full of beautiful women, and she was over forty besides.

Mostly, Valencio was worried about his own weakness. If the circumstances were right, he might want it. And afterwards... But since he'd been free, there had only been that once when he'd completed that first series of advertisements. And he'd have someone with him all the time. He was never tempted if no-one touched.

The script arrived just a few days after their return from Greece. Valencio regarded the cover. The illustration looked like him, and he grinned in appreciation. He had an eye-patch, and a scar. Very dashing. A little behind him was a sultry beauty, in period costume. A romance then? He read the covering letter_. 'Sword fighting, and no nudity,'_ Laurie had written. _'Schuster to produce, with an assistant. A light and amusing romance, film to be only two hours duration, filming expected to take only three months, November to February.'_ A romance, eh?

He glanced at Tasha, consumed with curiosity, but said, "Hey, Inge. You're the expert on romances. Read this, and tell me if you think I should do it." He was punishing Tasha, a little. She should know he was too weak for Hollywood, and she should not encourage him.

Tasha looked away, and pretended to be unmoved. Silly man. He'd be protected, and surely there was nothing better than doing what you loved, and being rewarded for it with money and fame.

Valencio acted as if he'd forgotten all about acting, instead loading the tray of his tractor with young, dormant apple trees, and showing one of the guests how to drive the tractor, and how to raise and lower the tray. He tossed a few shovels on, and said, "To the orchard."

Mickey grinned. He was an office worker, and had never thought he might one day drive a tractor. Valencio walked after him, Shona at his heels as always. He'd have to leave her again if Tasha had her way. He thought that he was being very foolish. He had so much, and should not risk it. But he could get dressed up and play with swords. And be paid for it! The woman? Was that supposed to be Vivienne Lancaster? It could be, and Schuster would want at least one big name in any film he had a hand in directing.

The apple orchard was in an area where the valley broadened, to give as much sunlight as Scotland could reasonably be expected to provide. Valencio was planting where old, dead trees had been removed, and the ground dug over and fertilized with old horse manure. Valencio's only mistake was to choose a variety that needed a warmer climate, and that was mostly the fault of the nursery man, who'd recommended the variety he'd over-ordered, rather than the variety that would suit the conditions.

Inge handed the script back to Valencio, and said, "You're going to have to learn to dance."

Valencio put it down, "I'll write to Laurie and tell him I can't do it then. There's not enough time to learn to dance." He was relieved. It was a genuine excuse. He'd never danced in his life, and filming was to start in a month, if the casting was finalized in time.

Galina's October report. "It rained solidly for the whole week I was there. There was no riding, which is one of the main activities they offer. But there were other activities, films every day, a few of the men enjoyed playing a game called billiards, some enjoyed making fancy dress costumes, also ball gowns, but old fashioned, and they said they were having a 'Regency Ball' at the end of the month. Others painted designs on shields, and that was for another set of costumes. They're going to be knights."

Narzu-Han was tapping his fingers on the table, waiting. Galina grinned, and continued teasing. "They know me as a regular now, and Carol says that next year there'll be two tennis courts, and a gymnasium. They're to be built during the winter months, when there's no visitors."

Narzu-Han waited.

"Two horses were taken away, retired, and one because she was too old to have a foal, but was in foal anyway. Gloria told me they were to go where they'd be looked after. Better not to have very old horses or risky foalings, when there's visitors who might be upset if they die."

Narzu-Han waited. Sometimes he missed being Khatabi. Khatabi-Richi never teased him like this!

Galina continued, "John Bellamy came once. He was fussed over, and they showed him all the improvements."

"Did Valencio go near him?"

Galina nodded, finally taking pity. "Vince was perfectly friendly to him, as far as I could tell from a distance."

"What was he doing?"

"Just checking up on his medj, I guess."

"Valencio!"

"Every afternoon he was at dancing lessons. He's apparently fairly serious about it, as the women guests complained he only danced with Tasha or Mary or Connie. I didn't go, of course."

"Anything else?"

"I hardly ever saw him, and he wasn't appearing at breakfast. Probably because it was too wet for outside activities anyway. Once I saw him dripping wet after doing something at the dairy, and I think he often helped Gloria clean tack."

Narzu-Han asked, as he always did, "Did he appear happy?"

"Nothing to indicate that he's not happy."

Narzu-Han wasn't quite satisfied, and said, "Can you get another booking for late in November?"

"Already done, and a week first thing in March when they start taking visitors again."

Narzu-Han said grudgingly, "I guess I'll have to be happy with that."

Galina wanted to ask him again what his interest was in the man, but would only invite a curt reply.

Meantime, Valencio and Tasha were back in Hollywood, meeting the cast, meeting Schuster's assistant director, who, he explained, would be doing the bulk of the directing, although Schuster would be on hand if needed. Ashley Vernstein was a man in his early twenties, but had produced some very good work. This would be his first full length movie.

Other main actors, Vivienne Lancaster, as he'd thought likely, and Peter Vojkovic. Vojkovic shook hands, and said, "They call me the Cossack." He was a giant of a man, well over six feet, and with a heavy, muscular build.

Ashley explained, "He's the faithful lieutenant, you, of course, the captain of the pirate ship, and Vivienne, the maiden who hates her captor until she reluctantly falls in love with him."

Schuster added casually, "Tasha, if she likes, can be one of the female entourage who gets dumped in Gibralter, along with the male prisoners."

Tasha beamed, "Can I really do something?"

Schuster smiled slightly, "You have maybe one line to say. And you get written out quite early. It's not a big deal."

Tasha smiled all over her face, "I can't wait!"

Vivienne said caustically, "Ever been strapped into tight corsets? You might change your mind!"

Schuster continued, "Dancing lessons every afternoon, until the ball scene's over. Unless, of course, you're needed on set. We've got Ronny Vale to look after you again, and whenever he's not available, a retired stunt man, Jorg Volker."

Valencio cursed to himself, as he turned to greet the man whose heels he'd once dogged, much as young Kane dogged his heels.

Jorg said casually, "Nice to meet you, Vince." But Valencio looked at him, and knew that he knew. That was the third. He was sure that Sylvie knew, and suspected that Schuster knew, but neither of them had said anything. He greeted him, friendly, but to a stranger.

If Schoen and Schuster had wanted to lure Valencio back into acting, they'd chosen exactly the right movie. Just a day later, he was standing at a railing of a sailing ship as his lieutenant bellowed instructions. He grinned into the wind, loose shirt showing browned chest, with extra painted on hairs, his own pitch black hair whipping in the wind, rather too long, a thin scar down his cheek, and an eye-patch. He appeared the very picture of romance.

There was a week doing similar shots as the actors settled into their roles. The ones handling the ship were not actors. The sailing ship, with minor variations of trim and shape, had been used in dozens of movies, and it had its own permanent crew. They were not far off land, but intrusions such as pleasure yachts could be edited out quite easily with computer technology.

Every afternoon, so far, he'd been collected by either Ronny or Jorg, and taken for dancing lessons. He was supposed to be expert at those dances common in Regency times. He was to win his lady's heart by appearing in disguise, no longer the pirate captain, but the long lost son of a lord. The plot was almost a caricature of a typical romance, and there were hints in the movie that they were laughing at themselves, though few might notice.

While Valencio reported to costumes for fittings, and tried to dance with dashing grace, the sailing ship and its crew were filmed again and again. There would be old film of it used as well, with the needed modifications added by computer, film where it was battered by storms, others in searing heat. There was the day when the 'captain' had to battle to save his ship, wearing oilskins, and periodically drenched anew by the storm machine specialist, who had a definite streak of sadism, Valencio was sure.

He'd gone sprawling once, pulled to his feet again by Dave Lonergan, who was playing one of the crew. Dave had stayed in character, called him 'Cap'n,' and treated him with respect. The initial briefing of the actors and camera crew had included the instruction that accidents could often be incorporated. 'If accidents happen, stay in character and keep filming,' Schuster always said. Schuster was a believer in accidents, and Ashley's instructions included a hint that Valencio could give unexpected aces. 'If he does something unexpected, keep filming. It could be the crux of a scene.'

Vivienne, with her entourage of female servants, was fully involved as well. Tasha was loving it, corsets or not. The other actors were friendly, and very curious about her husband, although Vivienne mostly ignored her. She was the female lead, and in her own view, by far the most important person around. Valencio, on the other hand, the male lead, greeted with friendliness the ones he knew from the previous movie, and soon came to know the new ones. Ashley was relieved. He was easy to work with, and he very much wanted his first full-length film to go well.

The Spanish maiden and the pirate were due to meet soon, and Schuster told Ashley to make the most of Vivienne's dislike, and unwilling attraction for Vince.

Valencio was enjoying himself. It may have involved discomfort sometimes, but it was not demanding, as Son of Satan had been demanding. He didn't even have to worry about tan marks, encouraged to become as tanned as he wished.

On the twenty-third of November, Ernie Schoen put in an appearance, finding Valencio bowing to a starlet as she curtsied. Dancing lessons. Schoen said abruptly, "I hear you're not going to the premiere of Son of Satan, Friday night, Vince."

Valencio had just raised Renee's hand in the preliminary courtesy, but turned to him in surprise, and greeted him.

Schoen looked at him with hostility. "You should be there."

Valencio said, "I don't want to be there. Too many people I detest."

"It's traditional! Jean-Pierre, Nikole, most of the cast will be there. And there's always a big party afterward."

"Tasha's going as Bobby's official partner. I refused to go."

"Why?" demanded Schoen.

"I don't want to go. I don't need to explain my reasons."

Schoen stared at him, and suddenly gave a crack of laughter. "You're embarrassed! You do explicit sex scenes, walk nude through the middle of an unprepared town, and then you're embarrassed to watch the movie."

Valencio grinned, shame-faced, "Maybe I am. I hate to think how they'll treat me when I go home next."

Schoen said, "Never be ashamed of Son of Satan. Your acting was brilliant. But I won't insist. Stay away if you want."

Valencio thanked him, and Schoen left.

Valencio remarked to Renee, "Did he think I'd change my mind if he insisted?"

"Probably. Mr. Schoen mostly gets exactly what he wants."

The dancing instructor said, "Find your place, as if a real interruption had occurred."

Valencio looked confused, but Renee cocked her head, listening to the music, and started moving. With that hint, Valencio could follow.

A battle raged the following day, a sword fight up masts, around desks, jumping over coils of rope, and hanging from rope ladders. Valencio was loving it, his face alight with pleasure, as his sword felled enemy after enemy. There was a blow on his shoulder, and he swung around, and engaged another enemy, his faithful lieutenant just behind him, guarding his back.

Afterwards, a bleeding shoulder wound was bandaged, an excuse to have his shirt off. Then he strolled over to the gathering of prisoners, full of arrogance, to inspect the women of the defeated ship. Vivienne was spitting fire, hating him. He laughed at her, fielded a slapping hand, and raised her chin, to look her in the face. An older woman spat at him to leave the girl alone. With gallant courtesy, the pirate captain bowed to her, and said, "You mistake. I want a ransom for the girl. Nothing else. Her virtue will not be compromised," but his admiring gaze went back to the fiery beauty, and he added, "Unless, of course, I find the temptation impossible to resist!"

Three more times the battle raged, three more times, the pirate captain took the slight wound. Each version was a little different. No matter how carefully choreographed, fight scenes were never the same twice. Afterwards, corpses got up, and a man whose arm had been severed, brought it back from behind his back, rose, and picked up the false arm.

Valencio said with satisfaction, "That was tremendous fun!"

One of the corpses replied, "Alright for you, Vince. You always get to win!"

Valencio put his hand over his heart, looked piteous, and said, "Ah, but I lose my heart!"

The revived corpse chuckled, and said, "A whole film, and you just get one passionate kiss right at the end."

"I'm told traditional romances are always that way - no actual sex, just a hint and a line of asterisks!"

Peter remarked, "I'm looking forward to the premiere Friday. I hear you leave your girlfriends a bit more than merely swooning!"

Valencio glanced at him, and looked for his shirt. A young actor wondered if he was to be replaced. He knew that look in the eye of the Cossack.

Friday morning, Ashley said, "I was thinking about what was said about you always winning. So I've spoken to Mr. Schuster, and there's been some re-writing. Study it now, and we do it today."

Valencio took the re-written segment of script, took a seat at the back of the studio, and started to read. After a while, he stared away, and then read it again. In a break, he called Ashley's attention, and handed it back to him. "I'm sorry. I can't do it."

Ashley looked at him in blank surprise. "It's a standard thing. You get tied up, and whipped." He remembered that Valencio was not experienced, and he said, "It doesn't hurt you, of course. Rarely, there's a bit of a bruise, but we'll have Johno, who always does any whipping scenes."

Valencio shook his head.

Ashley said, exasperated, "Why? Are you frightened of being hurt?"

"Maybe I am. I do not wish to be tied up and whipped, even in pretence."

Ashley took a deep breath, and explained, "It's the dynamics of the relationship between yourself and Renata de Castilla. I want her to see the pirate as only human, and vulnerable. It distresses her. She's doing those scenes now, in the next studio, with Mr. Schuster."

Valencio said stubbornly, "It was perfectly alright without the changes. I'm sorry, Ash, but I can't do it!"

Ashley snapped, "You do whatever's asked of you that's reasonable, and this is reasonable."

Valencio looked away, and Ashley sighed. "We'll have a stunt man to take the blows. Bill maybe. He's a bit more obviously muscular than you are, but will have to do. Maybe after you see it's harmless, you might change your mind."

"What about the face?"

Ashley said sarcastically, "I suppose at least you can be tied up, and just wince a bit when you hear the whip!"

Valencio felt ill. He didn't want to be tied up. But he was a professional, and as Ashley said, it was a standard task. After a long pause, he nodded slightly, briefly. He'd just have to put up with it. He was being silly. It was just acting, and there was no reason he should feel sick.

But two hours later, he was pale and tense, as his wrists and ankles were firmly strapped to a grating. He wore his accustomed breeches and belt, and had his eye-patch still. His shirt had been taken from him in the previous scene. A second grating held Bill, the stunt man, laughing and joking.

Johno strolled around, cracking his whip. He could look ferocious, and barely connect. The sound would be supplied, and Ashley said, "Vince, when you hear the noise, that's the sound of a blow. That's when you grunt or gasp. No screaming. The pirate's not supposed to yell or scream."

Screaming had never done any good when it was Adil. Valencio had seldom screamed when Adil decided to hurt. It was always easier when he'd been able to hold the pain away from him, pretend he wasn't there. He'd usually been able to walk afterwards when he succeeded, and took less time to recover.

He turned his face away from the camera, peering at him for close-ups. Ashley was frowning. Maybe after the first take, he'd relax and do what was required. It was scarcely worth wasting film this first time. But he remembered Schuster's advice. It might not necessarily be printed, but the first take would be filmed.

He inspected again, and said to the cameraman, "Extra shots showing how thoroughly he's tied, so that he can't possibly escape."

The camera scanned. Valencio looked straight downwards to the grate. His face could not be seen.

Ashley said, "Turn your head, Vince."

Valencio didn't move. Ashley put a hand to his shoulder, and he jumped, painfully.

Ashley ordered, "Turn your head to the right."

Valencio turned his head, and looked blindly at the cameraman. He was white. Ashley hesitated, but then checked that Bill and Johno were ready, and said the single word, "Action."

The 'officer' strolled to Valencio, peered at his face, and then walked away, nodding at Johno, "Commence punishment."

Johno displayed his whip, and then raised it, glancing at the officer for his cue. The sound technician was ready. Better if the sound was exactly as the whip struck flesh, much neater than editing.

The sound of the blow. Whip marks would be printed on Bill's back afterwards by computer, though there were faint marks from the red dye in the whip, not much as the blow had been very soft. Valencio made no sound, and only turned his face away from the camera again. Another blow, and suddenly, his control broke, and Valencio fought desperately against the bonds, struggling to pull hands or feet free. It wasn't in the script.

Ashley nodded at Johno, and mouthed, 'Keep going!'

The close-up cameraman was worried, thinking that Vince's face of naked fear did not look quite like acting. But then, quite slowly, Valencio turned his face again to the side, towards the camera, lay down his head and relaxed his body. There was no good fighting when he was fully restrained. You just took what Adil chose to unleash, whether it was a whipping, something worse, or those times when he'd been treated as a tender and precious treasure. Valencio was no longer acting. He was a slave again, at the mercy of his owner.

He wasn't making any indication when the sound of the blows came, and Ashley was resigned to doing it again. He might as well continue, and finish the first take. At length he said, "Cut," and went to Vince, prepared to tell him to pull himself together, and remember he was supposed to be making some effort to earn his money as an actor.

The cameraman said, "Mr. Vernstein, I think Vince is sick."

Ashley went to his star actor, and tried to shake his shoulder. It was slick with sweat, and Vince was still white. The one eye that was visible, was closed. He shook his head. Surely the man hadn't fainted! He said impatiently, "Untie him then. And see if Mr. Schuster's available. Maybe he can talk some sense into the man."

Dave spoke soothingly as he untied ankles, then wrists, and said, "Come away now, Vince. It's alright. No-one's really whipping you. It's just playacting."

Valencio opened his eyes, but his look was blind. He was still in the past. A cameraman started filming again, just in case. Johno came close, grinning a little, still playing with his whip. He started to make a jocular remark. Valencio found himself unrestrained, and the man who hurt, was close. He took a swift step forward, and punched at Johno, who ducked away, swearing.

Peter, who'd been watching him, frowning, grabbed his arm, avoided a blow, and pinned his arms to his sides, hugging him, and said forcefully, "It's only playacting today, Vince. No-one's really being whipped."

Valencio fought, but Peter only tightened his grip.

Schuster snapped, "Come to your senses, Vince. This is now." He stepped forward, and looked straight into Valencio's face, speaking quite quietly. "This is not the past. This is now."

Valencio shuddered, and was still.

After a moment, Peter said softly, "Alright now, Vince?"

Valencio nodded, and he was steered to a chair. Peter stayed close.

Schuster said, "Everybody, take a half hour break. Dave, would you page the studio doctor."

Valencio sat in his chair, head hanging, eye-patch in his hand. After a while, he glanced up at Schuster and Ashley, and said, "Sorry."

Schuster said clearly, "You will never again be asked to be tied up. I should have thought of it."

Ashley said, "Do you mean that you were whipped once?"

Valencio didn't answer. He was trembling, white-faced. He thought he needed a fence to lean against, one that gave pain, to help him be calm. He shook his head. That was insanity, looking for pain in order to feel calm. And after all this time, he suddenly realized why the fence had helped him. It was because the pain was predictable. The fence didn't caress one time, and torture the next.

He rose suddenly and walked swiftly to the bathroom, where he was violently ill. At least he hadn't compounded his disgrace by being sick in front of everyone. The doctor was there when he returned. He was shaking again, and there had been no-one to make a deodorizing spell in the bathroom, though he'd left no visible traces. He said to Schuster, still there, "You must be regretting luring me back."

Schuster said calmly, "The whipping scene wasn't necessary. Just don't go to pieces entirely. There's still half the film to go."

"I won't go to pieces entirely. But I don't think I can act again today."

"You won't need to act again, I just want you to stand in the prison cell, looking out the window. Vivienne will come in. Just as soon as Dani puts on the whip marks. It's not fully scripted. I'll tell Vivienne what to do, you just stay in character."

Valencio's face was still chalk white, but he gave Schuster a bleak look, and said, "I don't think you'll be able to retrieve anything from this mess."

"Leave that to me. You just do what you're told."

The doctor said, "Excuse me, Mr. Schuster. This man cannot be expected to work now. I was going to give him a sedative and send him to bed."

Valencio said defensively, "I'm perfectly alright. I just forgot where I was for a moment, that's all." He glanced at Schuster, and said, "I hit at Johno."

Peter, still close, said, "You tried to hit me, too, but you didn't hurt anyone."

Valencio said, shame-faced, "I'm very sorry."

Peter Vojkovic, the Cossack, said casually, "Don't worry about it." He'd have Vince one day. Feeling him in his arms, his furious struggles, and then his submission - it had been good, exciting. Vojkovic was a very big and strong man. He was probably the only man there who could have muffled his struggles like that. Alternatively, one of the women could have told Valencio to behave. A woman could have calmed him.

Schuster said, "Quick as you can, Dani. Use the marks on Ben as a model, do Vince, and you can do Ben, properly, afterwards."

The prison cell was being put together, hurriedly, a window with bars, behind it a blue sky, glittering ocean, even the masts of sailing ships, the picture printed on the light box. Dani had her make-up box ready, arranged Vince and Ben next to each other, backs to her, and began drawing in red stripes. A few artistic dribbles of blood. Poor Vince. Even now, he was trembling. It made her heart melt. It was the effect it was supposed to have on Renata de Castilla.

There was always 'F-film' taken in conjunction with the good quality film, that needed careful developing. The F-film was poor quality, but could be viewed straightaway. Schuster and Ashley studied the images, and Schuster said, "I should have told you. Don't tell anyone else, but he was Valencio Durano, kept prisoner for many years. I thought he must have been treated reasonably, as he appeared so normal."

Ashley said, "I heard that it was nonsense, that his identity was proven as Vincent McDonald."

"I'm sure. I've never told anyone, as he obviously doesn't want it known, and I don't want you to tell anyone. But if you're directing him, you need to know."

"He didn't want to do the whipping scene, but I insisted. A mistake!"

"It makes you wonder just what they did to him. Besides the obvious, of course."

A few minutes later, Vivienne, garbed in long dresses, corsets, her hair piled in an elaborate hairstyle, watched closely, as three film strips were played one above another. She was told what to say, but asked, "What are his lines?"

"I told him to stay in character. He's still in a state. He might want to kiss, might ignore you, might even cry in your arms. We'll just see what happens."

Vivienne accused, "You're manipulating him, taking advantage of his distress."

Schuster said coolly, "If I am, he knows exactly what I'm doing. Vince is a very intelligent man."

"Why did he react to the whipping like that, do you think?"

"From hints I've picked up, he may have spent some time in gaol at one stage, maybe a reform school where they believe in corporal punishment. It's a weakness, but we'll know in future."

On the set, Valencio still sat in a chair, leaning forward, head down. He was less pale, and his trembling was finally dying down. The doctor hovered, ignored.

Schuster said briskly, "Right. Cameras set?" Camera technicians nodded.

"Vince, you stand next to the window, looking out."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Do what you think the captain would do. Just be the captain. No need to try and memorize lines."

"Don't expect too much."

Schuster said calmly, "It's most unlikely to be used. We'll just go back to the old version, I expect. But just in case."

Valencio readjusted the eye-patch. It was unlikely that he would have been considerately left with an eye-patch if he'd really been being punished, but an ugly scar or missing eye was not a romantic sight. It was supposed to be a romance.

When Vivienne was allowed in the prison room, the pirate captain stood with his back to her, wearing belt and breeches, as he had for the whipping scene, but with bloodied stripes crossing his back. Vivienne just stood, staring. Finally, she said, "Captain?"

Valencio flinched around. The woman he desired, and wished he had the right to love, staring at him in his humiliation. "Get out of here," he said harshly. And when she only stared, tears starting, he said again, "Out!"

But it was only when he took a threatening step towards her that she retreated. The captain stared after her, and he was trembling again. The cameras still filmed. After a while, he went back to the window. A camera was wheeled smoothly closer, and then around to do a close-up of his face, staring bleakly at the scene outside. He gave it a few minutes, but then said, "That's enough, Schuster. I can't do any more today."

Schuster said, "Cut," and went to Valencio. He asked quietly, "Why? Why did you do it like that?"

Valencio explained, "The captain's a proud man, even arrogant, and he's been bitterly humiliated. He doesn't want the woman to see him like that."

Schuster nodded, and said, "We'll page Ronny, and he'll see you home. No filming this weekend. Usual time, Monday."

"What's on Monday?"

"The escape, as scheduled. Today's scenes will be dropped, too much out of context."

But after Vince left with Ronny, Bill was flogged a few more times, his bleeding back was filmed, and Vivienne was called upon to do more acting, especially crying in the arms of her duenna, a stout and matronly woman squeezed uncomfortably into corsets and period costume. There was some frantic writing going on as well, and Vivienne would be needed on both Saturday afternoon, and Sunday. Others would be called in as well, including Tasha. They had to keep on schedule as much as possible, though they usually had Sundays off, sometimes the whole weekend.

Schuster still doubted whether it could be incorporated. Meantime, he watched the segment of F-film again and again - the face of fear, the struggles, and then the relaxation of body when struggles were found to be useless. Putting anything of that in the film would change the nature of the story entirely. Raw fear does not belong in a lighthearted romance.

All the same, Schuster ordered the whole thing to be printed, even the part that showed Vince being released from the grating, and then hitting at Johno.

Tasha came home from the premiere and party very late that night, giggling, and being steered by both Jean-Pierre and Bobby. The starlet who'd been Jean-Pierre's official escort was already home with her real boyfriend. The Son of Satan would open in all major movie theatres the following Saturday. Vince might still not be known as Valencio Durano, but he'd lost his anonymity.

Anirage seldom watched medj films, or read film reviews, and Narzu-Han's November report was unsatisfactory. "He was away, but I couldn't find out just exactly what he was doing. Carol told me he sometimes spends a week or two in Edinburgh or London, and Emma said something about a lecture on growing berry bushes."

Narzu-Han drummed his fingers on the table. They couldn't get anyone in again until March now. He commented, "If they were not under Bellamy's protection, I'd just send you to question one of them."

Galina said, "No way! I don't want to be in trouble with John Bellamy!"

Narzu-Han sighed, and Galina pointed out, "There's no indications that he's not well and happy. His car was at his cottage, his dog was around, and no-one looked worried."

Narzu-Han said, resigned, "March then."

Valencio routinely prepared for work on Monday. It seemed, for him, that the fun had gone out of the movie.

Tasha mentioned, as he breakfasted, "I have a few scenes today, but that's probably the finish for me, and Sonia said I could watch her later, if I want. She's a set designer."

Tasha was more at home in this environment than he was himself now, he thought. She was thrilled that she'd been photographed by a society photographer, and asked for her name. It was because she'd been with Jean-Pierre and Bobby at the premiere, but she'd mentioned that she was the wife of Vince McDonald, although she gave her own name, Natasha Maskkov, and very much hoped that her family would see.

If there was one thing that Valencio had learned in the enclosures, it was that you couldn't hide when you'd made a fool of yourself. Jorg called for him as he was accustomed to, and congratulated him on Son of Satan. "I couldn't get a ticket myself, but everyone's raving over it! Except for Ben Bgorn. I hear he's furious."

"Why?" asked Valencio blankly.

"Well, no-one said exactly why he was furious."

There were others wanting to congratulate him, but he only walked faster, saying he'd be late. He reported to Make-up, and Dani, too, congratulated him on his first movie, said how wonderful it was, that she'd cried and cried, and couldn't forget it, so that it haunted her dreams.

Valencio said with a wry smile, "Is that good or bad?"

Dani said firmly, "Only a great movie is unforgettable."

He waited patiently, as Dani did his face, accustomed to the routine, but was surprised that Dani said to take off his shirt, as the whip marks had to be done.

She explained, "Schuster said that he's not planning on using it, but he'll just show you tenderly putting on your shirt before you make the daring escape. Meantime, I'll spray it to set the make-up, but keep your shirt off. It can still smudge, and I might need to make running repairs, depending on how many takes he wants."

"Does it look like Schuster himself is directing today?"

"They were both there when I looked in."

Dani finished his back, compared it carefully with a large photograph, and reminded him sternly that he was not allowed to sit back in a chair, or lean against a wall. Valencio promised that he'd try not to.

Peter was to lead the rescue of his captain, and looked at him with a desire in his eyes, though quickly looking away when Valencio looked back at him, frowning. The Cossack had no intention of doing anything until the movie was over. A new one was often a little upset for a few days, sometimes even longer, and that would affect the making of the film. He wasn't a rapist, of course. All a young man had to do was to say No, and quite often, that's exactly what happened. His target said No, and he was disappointed, and arranged to have him driven home. The light sedative in the target's drink was only so that he would not become nervous and refuse out of fear, but meant that he should not drive, and sometimes even needed help walking. He always used a muscle relaxant as well, and that was not because it was rape. Just that he was a big man, and hurting was a poor idea.

There were other ways of course, but a slow preparation gave time for a young man to gather his thoughts, and object. Better he was not too much warned. The Cossack never raped, or not in his own mind, but all the same, more often than not, a young man who'd never thought of being used in that fashion, found himself prone on a bed, his head a bit woozy, initiated by Peter Vojkovic, who loved being the first.

Valencio was not at his best that day, finding it difficult to become the part. Schuster did a lot more takes than usual, but did not rebuke him. He'd be right once he overcame his self-consciousness. Valencio asked if he should be moving with difficulty, and Schuster shook his head. Valencio remarked, "It must have been a very mild whipping then, if he can run and jump and fight that same night."

Schuster gave his thin smile, "Romantic heroes run and fight whether they're bleeding to death, have a bullet in their shoulder, or have just revived from being knocked out. They're not ordinary people, who feel sick merely because of a spot of concussion or a broken bone!"

A lot more people had come to the conclusion that if Vince McDonald was not the lost child actor, at the least, some terrible things had happened to him in the past. Some let it affect the way they treated him, leaving him embarrassed and uncomfortable. The premiere that many had gone to, helped. And when Dave teased that he must be feeling deprived, that he hadn't got to take his pants off all movie, he quite suddenly relaxed and his acting improved.

Schuster noted it, suggested to Ashley that it was time to do one of the fight scenes that his star so much enjoyed, and sat back, leaving it to his assistant.

A short time later, Valencio wielded a sword, its edge apparently glittering sharp, taking on those who had tried to guard his ship. He was grinning in his acute pleasure, fighting side by side with his lieutenant, who was taking care not to reveal that Valencio was in his sights to replace Tod just as soon as filming was finished.

Valencio was himself again, and again threw himself into his role. There were more battles, where he could be shown at his most dashing and romantic. There were a few more prison scenes, as well. This time, there was no whipping, no loss of dignity, and the prisoner was allowed to be debonair, rather than humiliated.

There was only a two day break for Christmas, as Schuster had another major film due to start in the middle of February, and this one had to be squeezed in between. Ashley would handle the months of sorting raw film into the finished product.

By the time of the ball, and Valencio's final wooing of the lady, the fuss about Son of Satan had died down, and the whipping scenes were nearly forgotten. The film would not be discarded, but it would not be used. The realism did not belong in a lighthearted romance.

In the middle of January, nominations for the Academy Awards were announced, and that day Schuster had a difficult time preserving his usual calm mask. He didn't want to show that he was thrilled, just as any other ordinary person might be. Best Director. It would be his third Oscar if he won.

Both Jean-Pierre and Valencio were nominated for Best Actor, and Nikole for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. There was even a nomination for cinematography, and for the musical score. And Son of Satan was nominated for Best Motion Picture. A possible reason for Ben Bgorn's annoyance at the premiere became clear. The Centurion was another big picture of the year, and he was also a nomination for Best Actor.

"We'll go to the Nominations Dinner, of course," said Tasha, firmly.

Valencio looked at her face that dared him to argue, and said, "Good thing I packed a suit."

The lighthearted scenes of the ball took place. It was a costume ball, and the pirate was seen behind a mask. That an eye-patch or missing eye might still have been visible was glossed over, his eyes never clearly shown. He wooed the heroine, danced with her, took her breath away, told her casually that she should call him 'My Lord,' and vanished before the unmasking at midnight, leaving her bereft.

The Nominations Dinner, and Tasha was photographed again, this time with her husband. The photographs of the major nominees would appear in the society pages of the magazine that Inge subscribed to. Ben Bgorn did not molest Valencio this time, but another did, though quickly getting the hint when his wrist was hit away with a force almost sufficient to break it. Or at least that's what the man thought, looking at Valencio with watering eyes. Vince McDonald was so beautiful, yet manly, and he was only offering himself. He might like to...

It hadn't even occurred to Valencio that a man might offer, expecting to go underneath. It was not in his experience.

"We go straight after the concluding party," Valencio told Tasha firmly. "I'd really prefer before."

Tasha nodded. "Straight after."

She wouldn't push it, and she knew that Valencio had very much enjoyed doing this movie. He wasn't thin and strained, as he'd been after Son of Satan, and no-one had told her that he'd broken down merely because he was tied to a grating. She'd have him back again, and Schuster had told her that he was just waiting for the right role.

"Don't let him go to another director," he'd said firmly, "He's better with me. We work well together."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Not yet, but we won't waste him on any more second-rate movies like Aegean Romance. He has more to offer than that."

"He loved making it."

"That was the idea. But for the third one - we'll give him a challenge again."

Tasha smiled at him. It was like a conspiracy between them - for Valencio's own good, of course.

The wrap party, and the plans of the Cossack were not proceeding well. He succeeded in adding a little something to Valencio's drink, but he didn't seem interested in drinking, and it was abandoned, as he spoke instead to Dave. Tasha was close as well. Vojkovic had taken a young man out from under the eyes of a girlfriend once, and thought that a wife would be little different. But Valencio was restless, wanting to go home, and Tasha finally agreed.

Vojkovic decided he couldn't wait any longer, seized the chance when Valencio was momentarily alone, wrapped him in a close embrace, forced his mouth open, kissing passionately, and a hand roamed over back and bottom, squeezing the centre of their bodies together, so that Valencio could feel his hardness for him.

Valencio fought, trying to bite, trying to hit. He managed a couple of fierce kidney punches with his free hand, couldn't get to his bit of glass, but put his hand to the aggressor's neck instead, finding the carotid artery, and pressing hard. Vojkovic twisted, bringing one of his arms lower, so that the hand was no longer free to fight back. Vojkovic was an immensely strong man.

Valencio was physically mastered, helpless in the embrace of a big man, who wanted. He stopped struggling as his excitement took over. Vojkovic laughed his triumph, as he felt that Vince returned his desire. He'd have him in bed in no time, a lot easier than he thought. This was no novice!

Tasha spoke cuttingly, "Leave my husband alone!"

Vojkovic released Valencio, and stepped back, smiling. Vince wasn't going to be her husband long. No woman tolerated her husband being attracted to men. Valencio stared at Vojkovic, flushed, breathing quickly, shallow, wanting him.

Tasha glanced at her husband, took a step forward, and slapped Vojkovic as hard as she could across the face. Vojkovic put his hand to his face, and looked at her in surprise. This was not how he would have expected a normal wife to react.

Tasha said firmly, "Valencio, come with me!"

Valencio tore his eyes away from Vojkovic, and went with Tasha.

After a long time, he muttered, "Sorry."

Tasha said, very calmly, "We all bear scars from the enclosures. There's no need to speak of it again."

The following morning, they were gone, and Vojkovic looked for his target in vain. Tasha had called him Valencio. Vojkovic hadn't missed it, though he hadn't previously believed the rumours, in spite of his unexpected reaction to the whipping scene. Maybe, in view of his history, he should leave him alone.

He acquired his own copy of Son of Satan, and even, surreptitiously, his own copy of the film of the whipping, where he'd had the chance to subdue him. Vince had struggled, in his arms, and against the grating, and had then stopped struggling. The face of undisguised fear, and then the acceptance. There was also the fact that his desire had been returned. He knew it had been returned. Having Vince - Valencio, would not be rape. He was beautiful, he'd had it before, many times no doubt, and he wanted it. Vince might be over thirty, much older than his usual targets, but the Cossack fully intended to have him.

Tod knew his days were numbered with the Cossack, but he'd been a generous lover, his influence had given him a good start in his acting career, and he didn't seem to mind that Tod had a girlfriend. Tod thought that he'd not been damaged by the Cossack, and didn't acknowledge, even to himself, that the first time had been a rape. He'd never been badly hurt, though he'd never enjoyed it, either.

He thought maybe his months with the well-known actor had been a good investment, even told himself it was a deliberate manoeuvre on his part, to get his first break. Tod Morgan didn't expect to become a star, but he fully expected to make a good living in his chosen career. The Cossack had a reputation for continuing his interest, and there were other young men still benefiting from their compliance, long after they stopped sharing his bed.

_xchapter endsx_


	30. Chapter 30

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_There are 37 chapters in this story, 245,000 words._

_Chapter 30:_

In the middle of February, Valencio and Tasha returned to Loch Lomand. Tasha was furious with Peter Vojkovic. Valencio had so much enjoyed making Aegean Romance, and then Vojkovic had ruined it all by tempting him with the thing he hated. It was not Valencio's fault. He'd fought so hard and so long, but then Abensur had changed him, saved his life by making him enjoy it. Now he was morose, shamed, reluctant even to make love with her, as if he thought he didn't deserve it. She tried to be patient. She loved him. If only he'd talk about it, but all he said was that they should never go back there. It was a sick environment.

But Tasha loved Hollywood. Loved the fuss that was made of her as the wife of a movie star. Loved the attention paid to her by wealthy and sophisticated people. There was one man in particular, Stuart Dorner. Not that she really fancied him, of course. Just that he knew so much, and she liked that. Her own husband seemed so ignorant sometimes. Tasha didn't realize that she, too, seemed so ignorant sometimes. For twenty-six years, Tasha had led a severely restricted life - a one year 'bridging course' was not really enough to overcome the handicap.

There were other things. She'd had a role in a movie, even if a very small role. And there were the entertainments, many in the daytime, when Valencio was working. A few on the weekends. But even on weekends, Valencio was often working. Aegean Romance had been fitted in between major movies that Schuster was involved in, and there had been pressure to complete filming.

There were the Academy Awards in March. They already had the invitation. Valencio, of course, was one of the nominees. How wonderful to step from a limousine onto a red carpet, have 'Paparazzi' taking pictures. But Valencio just shook his head, and said they couldn't possibly go. There was work to do, and he could not be spared from Loch Lomand.

Tasha sighed. Maybe it was too soon, and she wrote to decline the invitation, giving the excuse of illness. She assumed they could send the award, if he did win it.

Valencio cheered up as soon as they stepped out of the aeroplane at Duich Airport. "I hope someone's still doing the bus run," he commented to Tasha, who replied, "Maybe we should have phoned and checked, but I'm sure they intended to keep it up. Even without our own visitors, Jimmy told me ages ago that it paid its way."

A short time later, they emerged from the airport building to see the familiar small bus, with a sign saying Duich, Glen Kay, Loch Lomand, Bogridge. "Farfalla!" exclaimed Tasha, and called.

Farfalla beamed, and hugged, "Welcome home!"

A middle-aged couple waited patiently, luggage beside them, needing a ride to Glen Kay. It had become a service that people depended on.

Valencio turned to the couple, and said, "Help you with your luggage?"

Farfalla, reminded, asked where they wanted to go, accepted the money for the ticket, and smiled again at Valencio and Tasha.

Tasha asked, "Will we pay?"

Farfalla replied that of course they didn't pay, and consulted her watch. "Just a couple more minutes to see if anyone else needs transport, and we'll be off home."

Tasha remarked, "I hated being away for Christmas, but it couldn't be helped. They only gave Vince two days off, and just one for New Year's Day."

Valencio said, "They were a touch behind schedule then. Caught up again later. Schuster's starting his next movie almost straightaway."

A couple of young men, backpackers, came hurrying forward, and asked, heavily accented, "Bogridge?"

"Sure," said Farfalla, and Valencio opened the luggage compartment again, accepting the backpacks and stowing them, as Farfalla took the fares. Their English was poor, and Farfalla used German, to their pleasure.

"Right. Everybody in, shopping centre, Duich, then Glen Kay, Bogridge, Loch Lomand."

Valencio smiled at Tasha. Loch Lomand. Home. Farfalla took another sweeping glance around, making sure there were no laggards, and climbed to the driver's seat.

"Any changes?" Valencio asked Farfalla.

"Some. Carol's exchanged twenty single units for six family units, even fenced, in case of small children, or dogs. Inge can't decide what she wants to do, and for now, just helps generally, and does a bit of modelling. She wants you to take her to see Laurie. She thinks if you can act, so can she."

"I've finished now. No more movies. I do need to see Laurie, though, so she can come with me then."

"She'll be pleased. She says there's no good even trying without some sort of an intro, and she's heard about so-called casting couches as well."

Valencio asked, "The new units furnished yet?"

"Partly, but Carol wanted your help when she buys new double bunks to put in children's bedrooms. Each of the little yards need attention as well. Just a few flowering plants in pots, Mildred said, and a bit of lawn."

Tasha asked, "Did you hear I had a part in Aegean Romance as well?"

Farfalla smiled, "Since you put it in every letter you wrote, it was hard to miss."

"I'm not sure how much I'll be in the final product. Schuster seemed undecided for a while. There were a lot of extra scenes, and I was in some of those, but he kept saying they would probably not be used."

Valencio asked, "Was that the weekend I had off, and you had to work?"

"That's right, straight after the premiere."

"Did you hear why the changes of mind?"

"No, they had everyone confused for a bit. Except Vivienne. I had a feeling Vivienne knew what it was about, but she didn't talk to us much."

Valencio smiled, "She thinks she's a big star, that everyone else is unimportant."

"Did she talk to you?"

"Not very much." But he turned to the backpackers then, and said, using German, "Cold weather for travelling!"

One of the young men replied, "We found work in summer without any trouble. But there doesn't seem to be any around any more, and so we're doing a little more exploring until our money runs out and we have to go home."

Jimmy was gone, Clarence ageing, and unsuited to manual labour, Gary lame, and there was heavy work to be done. Valencio asked, "What sort of work do you do?"

"Anything on offer. We're not frightened of hard work."

"Is your accommodation booked?"

"No, but we don't expect problems at this time of year."

The youngsters spoke of where they'd been - an extended visit to the Lakes District of England the most recent. They were interrupted when Valencio hopped off to help carry luggage for the middle-aged couple, who were let off at the one hotel in Glen Kay.

Mrs. Maguire watched as the bus left. She said, "Robert, remember the film we saw a few weeks ago. Son of Satan? Do you think...?"

"Well, they were talking about acting."

Mrs. Maguire smiled, "Something to tell Kate - that a film star carried my suitcase for me."

Meantime, the film star said, "Farfalla, can we go to Loch Lomand first? I want to ask Carol if I can have Hans and Kurt to help me for a couple of weeks."

"It's nearly on our way. Hans, Kurt? Alright with you?" The boys grinned at each other.

The South Wing was closed for winter, unheated, and very chilly, but there were a dozen guest bedrooms in a separate corridor in the main part of the castle, and Kurt and Hans were established there. Their English was poor, but many of their hosts had quite good German.

The next day, Carol, Tasha, and the three men walked, inspecting. Two dogs followed them, Shona so close to Tasha that she tripped her up now and then. "Tennis courts!" remarked Valencio.

Carol asked, "Kurt, Hans, can either of you play tennis?"

Kurt answered, "I used to play quite well."

"Well enough to give lessons?"

"Maybe, for beginners..."

"Hans?"

"I've played a little."

Valencio said, "I've never played tennis. Time I learned."

Carol nodded. "We've bought a dozen tennis racquets, and a bag of tennis balls, but no-one but Gary even knows the rules."

They came to the new family units, neatly in two blocks of three, facing each other, and with a good sized, fenced common area between.

Carol pointed. "For small children. I want tables and chairs, for parents, plus some really little tables and chairs, also some swings, and maybe a sandpit for children to play in, nice and close so parents can watch."

Tasha commented, "It's lovely to have little children around."

Valencio said, "Gloria doesn't like them much!"

"We're having a maximum of fifty at a time this year, but that's the limit, and includes children. Gloria's planning to buy a few more ponies, 12 to 13 hands, pretty, especially for children, and also maybe for use as pack ponies."

"Dandy?"

"Still useful, but getting old. We'll retire him soon, and send him to John's, like Daddy Longlegs and Jenny."

She showed them inside one of the units. "Some furniture from the old units, but tomorrow, and probably for a few days, I want Hans and Kurt with me, helping me buy furniture, and then install it. Double bunks mostly, and they might need to be assembled." She looked around, "Probably most of the ones with families will prefer to be self-sufficient, except maybe for dinner. So they all have stoves, fridges, cutlery, crockery, and so on."

Valencio looked at Carol with respect. "It takes a lot of organization."

Carol smiled, "It's an immense satisfaction." She said to Valencio, "You can fix your truck, go galloping with Gloria, and play with your chainsaw. I'll use Kurt and Hans, and you can have a holiday."

"I'd best check the horse shelters and paddocks."

"They're quite clean. Peter Barnes made a visit."

"I hope he saved the manure. We need it for fertilizer."

"He left it in piles, maturing, as you always do." Valencio scratched his head. He hadn't expected leisure. Work usually piled up when he was away.

Carol said, "We'll look at the horse paddocks now, and if you like, you can say hello to the horses, and then we might saddle a few ponies, and check the apple orchard." She glanced at the backpackers, "Can you ride?"

The youngsters shook their heads.

"Time to learn then. The ponies are very quiet."

Valencio started to teach the young men to bridle and saddle a horse. Dragon Breath nuzzled him, and he smiled, patted his neck, and said, "Spring soon."

Tasha was making a fuss of Honey. Shortly afterwards, Valencio led off, followed by Kurt and Hans, looking thoroughly awkward on Lightning and Thunder. The new apple trees looked dead, but so did all the others. Deciduous. He supposed they'd look different when spring came. The gardens looked bleak. He supposed they'd look different when spring came as well. Valencio's involuntary reaction to the hard embrace of the Cossack, had left him depressed. But he was home now, and he made a firm decision to forget it. He wasn't going back to Hollywood, he'd already known that he had a weakness, but he was safe at home. It was probably just that Peter was so big, and somehow big men had an effect. Like Hicham. But all he had to do was to make sure they never had a chance to manhandle him, and then he was safe.

He didn't see much of Kurt and Hans for the next few days. They were fully involved with Carol, preparing the new units for visitors. Instead, he rode the Pamela Track with Tasha, pausing a long time at the small memorial that said, 'Jeremy, who was in Japan for a few years...'

They were talking more about their times in the enclosures, and Tasha said, "You think he was like you..."

"I think he probably killed himself, because he was hurt too much."

Tasha said quietly, "It's the one for Magritte Berne that always affects me most." She softly related the story. "Magritte Berne, aged eight. She was in the enclosure three days, and then they came for her, for Ahjmed. And Carol hugged her, and told her to be brave. And she walked off with them, bravely. But she didn't come back." Her eyes were wet.

Valencio said, "All of them... All of us... And they were not punished. Not properly punished."

"John stopped it happening. He didn't really punish..."

Valencio said, "You know that pendreiya he put on - that we could not talk about magic or Wizardkind?"

Tasha nodded.

Valencio smiled. "It's breakable. I told Dave that there were wizards walking among us, preying on innocent people. He thought it was a joke, and I didn't tell him different. But if we wanted to, we could make a lot of trouble for Anirage!"

"Do you want to?"

Valencio sighed, and said, "John's done too much for us. And Susan and Dot, Peter Barnes... They're all decent people. It makes me feel better that the pendreiya is not binding, but I don't really want to make trouble for them."

Saturday afternoon, Valencio asked Kurt and Hans if they wanted to go into town, maybe meet some of the locals at the pub. They agreed with pleasure, but were surprised when Valencio was greeted with hoots and whistles. Valencio was a little red, but fobbed off the ribbing, and introduced Hans and Kurt to several of those there. He knew a lot of them now, and was known to more.

The bar tender plumped a beer in front of Valencio, and said, "Satan's Brew for you, Vince? It's on the house."

Valencio laughed, and pulled out his wallet. "Beers for you?" he asked the Germans.

"Ja, bitte."

He asked, "Have you actually seen it, Jack?"

"The wife insisted. She raved over it for days."

Valencio grinned, "There'll be none of the girls around wanting to go to bed with me now. A lethal attraction!"

"Bloody Hell, Vince! That scene!"

Valencio shrugged, "Just acting. Poor Nikole complained for days that her jaws ached from having to have her mouth open so long."

Kurt asked, confused, "Nikole?"

Valencio switched to German. "I did a bit of acting last year. I presume Jack saw it in Duich."

Jack said, "Satan's Son, it was called. Very well reviewed."

"Not universally. You should have seen what _Christian Weekly_ had to say about it! I've done another since then." He grinned, "I was allowed to play with swords, and pretend to be a captain of a sailing ship. I was a romantic hero, and was never seen without my perfectly tailored, though tight fitting breeches. Very dignified."

He repeated it in German again, as Hans was looking confused, although Kurt seemed to be getting along better with the language.

A young man called Paul joined the group. He wanted to talk to Vince alone, but it took a while, and some cooperation from Erin and Roddy, to entertain the Germans, so that Vince didn't feel he was abandoning them. And then he was frank, "Vince, can I talk to you a moment?"

"Of course," Valencio answered, a bit surprised.

Paul indicated. "Over there."

Valencio followed him to the quiet table. Paul said nothing for a while, except that the weather was mild for the time of year. Valencio asked, "Will I get us a couple more beers?"

Paul quickly rose, "I'll get them."

It took ten more minutes, and then abruptly, Paul said, "I want to marry Inge."

Valencio had suspected it might be something like this, and said, "If you win her, you'll be getting a wonderful wife. She's a great girl."

"My mother said she can't have children."

"That's true. She can't have children."

Paul said, appealing, "I love her."

"You're young enough to adopt."

"Why can't the Loch Lomand women have children?"

Valencio hesitated, and then said baldly, "We were taken for sex. The women were all sterilized."

Paul objected, "She has no scars."

Valencio shrugged, "They were sterilized. No-one ever became pregnant."

Paul was silent, and then said, "That's another thing. She's been something like a prostitute. My mother said I should look for a decent girl."

Valencio's eyes narrowed, and he said, "If I took you behind the pub, overpowered and raped you, would you lose your decency? None of us had any choice. And Inge... Inge, Brigitta, Evita, the young and popular ones. They worked hard to save all our lives. Those last years, a false move, and we'd all have been just killed off." He leaned forward, and said, looking straight into the eyes of the young man, "I owe my life and my freedom to Inge. She is an honourable and a courageous girl. Let _no-one_ dare to say she's not a decent girl..." He sat up again, and said coldly, "I really don't think you deserve her. She can find someone better."

Paul was looking down, and said, "I'm sorry. It's an old-fashioned point of view. Something like a prostitute, my mother said."

"Certain important differences. First, we were never paid, and second, we never had the choice. It does not make any of us less than you, or anyone around."

"Never paid."

Valencio half smiled. "I was given a present once, a train set, suitable for ages six to twelve, though I was seventeen by then. It was confiscated because there were metal parts that could be turned into weapons, but a couple of the women managed to keep a couple of bits of train track anyway, and I turned them into small spears. It was a different life, and it is not for you to judge us."

Paul said humbly, "I am sorry. I should not have made you speak of it. Inge never speaks of it."

He looked up at Valencio, and asked, "Were you badly hurt?"

"I was not a good slave. I had four owners, and tried to kill three of them. I was badly hurt at times, but most of us, as long as we did as we were told, were not very often hurt."

"Any killed?"

"The older ones remember culls, when the numbers of prisoners would be reduced. I never saw anything like that. And as I said, it was the young ones who worked very hard to try and ensure there was not another casual cull."

Paul said quietly, "I've been very lucky, haven't I? All of us here, living in a quiet and peaceful place."

"I love it here. As you said, it's quiet and peaceful - the best place."

Paul said, suddenly grinning, "So when are you going to get yourself a McDonald kilt?"

"I don't know. Would real McDonalds beat me up?"

"There are McDonalds all over the world. If you want to wear the kilt, I doubt if anyone will object."

Valencio grinned. A bare bottom under the kilt? And a traditional kilt wasn't very long. How Ben would love that! He said, "I think I'll stick to trousers."

Paul asked, "Will I take Inge to see Son of Satan?"

"She'll probably like the next one better, _Aegean Romance_. And that has a rating for general viewing. Not adult only." He grinned again, a bit sheepishly, "No nudity."

Paul rose, and said politely, "Thank you for talking to me."

Valencio nodded casually as Paul left. He hadn't bothered trying to pretend he wasn't one of those taken for sex. No-one looking at him would believe it in any case.

He looked around. Kurt and Hans seemed to be having a good time with Roddy and Erin, and Valencio sat back in his chair, thinking about what he'd said to young Paul. That it was for no-one to judge, that Inge, and by implication, himself, were decent human beings, in spite of what they had been. But was it the same for him? He'd been a boy, used by men. And after Abensur, he'd started to enjoy it. What if Kane or Adam had been raped? What if they were raped again and again, but gently, so that, in the end, they'd started to like it, look for it?

But he was beginning to feel ill, and didn't pursue the thought to its logical conclusion, as perhaps he should have done. It still shamed him dreadfully that he'd enjoyed it, sometimes even invited it. And what if Tasha hadn't intervened when Peter had him? Would he have tamely walked off with the man?

He shook his head, and suddenly remembered being very ill that horrible first night, when he comprehended just what was to be done to him. He was looking down at the table, and his expression was very, very sad. He might have defended Inge, but he still had a conviction within him that he, himself, bore a shameful wound, even now unhealed. And a terrible, threatening weakness. How could he live with himself if he gave in to the temptation? He suspected he could not. Could Yiko's pendreiya, if indeed it existed - could Yiko's pendreiya be broken?

Lily Podger sat beside him, and said, "You're in line for an Oscar, Vince. You should be looking happy."

Valencio shook off his bleakness, and smiled at her. As far as he knew, Lily was the only one around who had recognized him as Valencio, from those old movies. He said, "The one I've just finished was a lot more fun. Undemanding, pure romance!" He smiled, "They made me have a scar down the face, but thin, not disfiguring of course, and I wore an eye-patch, and looked perfectly dashing!"

_xdividerx_

Kurt and Hans always ate in the visitors' dining room, and Mary and Gary looked after themselves these days, only joining the others for meals when there was something special.

At dinner Saturday night, Inge said, "About Laurie, Vince. When can we go?"

"I have an appointment Tuesday, and said I'd bring someone for him to meet."

Evita asked, "Me, too?"

"I thought you wanted to be a veterinary nurse."

"I've been looking at myself in the mirror, had Farfalla take pictures so I could try and look at myself objectively. And now I'm convinced. I'm eighteen now, quite stunningly beautiful, and I want to be an actress."

Valencio said, "You do have to be able to act as well."

Evita smiled. "I acted for Ryuichi. Pretended I was paralyzed, and he used to call me Valencio, and soothe, and say I was not to kill him because he was being so, so very gentle."

Valencio stared, incredulous, and broke into laughter.

Evita smiled smugly. She'd known he wouldn't be upset, not these days, when he was so confident and cheerful. She went on, "When he started to lose interest, I told him he was on my list, along with all the others. That one day, I'd get him."

Valencio shook his head, still laughing, and finally managed, "Who told you about my list?"

"Helene, but she said to keep it to myself. It was just to keep his interest."

Inge asked, confused, "A list?"

Valencio enlarged, "A list of those I wanted to kill. It got a bit long in the end, and I only ever managed to kill one."

"Tell us about the one you killed."

Valencio hesitated, and the others waited. Would he tell the story? No-one had heard it.

Valencio said, "They used to put me under Filuah Kay, take me to the bedroom, and then take it off, and very quickly paralyze. Never had a chance to fight. But Charandev was a bit stupid. I persuaded him to change it to semi-paralysis, distracted him so that he looked away from my face, pulled a shiv from where it was hidden under my hair, and struck. He bled all over the room, and died as I watched. It was the happiest I'd been since I was taken."

"How did you dare?"

Valencio shrugged, "Nusa'pei came in and laughed. I wasn't punished. I had a go at Rotan a few months after, and I wasn't punished for that either."

Helene said, surprised, "I thought you were."

"Not by Nusa'pei. Only by Rotan, and he was whipped for it."

Helene said, "Where did you say you had a shiv?"

Valencio indicated. "I stuck it on my scalp a few days before I went into general use. My hair covered it, and they never seemed to touch just there. I wore it for months. Used it for Charandev, used another hidden in the same place when I tried for Rotan, but when I pulled it off, I pulled skin off as well, and they must have seen the blood. They always searched there afterwards."

Helene said, "I always thought it made you more popular with them, not less, that you were likely to try and kill them."

"You're probably right. But sometimes, it's not possible to be sensible," and he said to the girls, "About acting. You do know that it can be a very risky environment. And you are both stunningly beautiful. You could be prey."

Inge said, "You're managing."

Valencio shook his head. "I'm not managing. I'm telling Laurie to take me off his books."

Tasha opened her mouth to say something, and then looked down. She'd leave it for now. It was what he was made for. He'd miss it after a while, and when he read a good script, he'd want to go back to it.

Inge said, "Maybe if we stay together, especially at auditions. Or you could come with us."

Valencio urged, "Make English films - it's probably better in London than in Hollywood. I'm never going back to Hollywood."

"What about the Awards Night?"

"I'll watch it on TV. I'm not uninterested - I'd like an Oscar, but I'll just watch it from home, where it's safe." He looked seriously at the girls. "You must know, as much as anyone - it's not safe to be beautiful. Too many people want you, and there's always a few who can't take a hint."

Evita said, "Well I definitely want to see Laurie."

Inge said, "Me, too."

"Tuesday then. I suppose just because I can't cope, doesn't mean you can't." Valencio thought that women were stronger than men. The women were always strong compared to him.

Evita said carelessly, "Kurt's rather good-looking."

Inge said, "Hans is cute."

"I thought Paul was your boyfriend, Inge."

"He was for a while. We broke up a few days ago. He thought he could tell me what to do."

Evita said, "We thought we might entertain Hans and Kurt tomorrow."

Inge said to Carol, "You_ are_ going to let them have Sunday off, aren't you?"

Carol smiled at the girls, so full of life. "They can have Sunday off." She remembered so many of those around her as traumatized children, just as she'd been herself. Inge and Evita seemed unscarred, though they were not, of course.

Inge said to Evita, "Go find them after dinner? They might like a swim."

Evita said, "Naked?"

Inge grinned, but asked, "What about you and Tasha, Vince?"

"Just in case they can't take a hint..."

"If we decide to give them a hint!" Both girls were giggling.

The boys watched, mouths agape, as Tasha and Vince slipped clothes off casually, and dived in the water, followed by Inge and Evita. Then Hans grinned at Kurt, and slipped his own clothes off, followed, more hesitantly, by Kurt.

The swimming pool room was warm, for swimming all year around. Tasha and Valencio sat together on the edge of the pool after a while, noticing that the flirtations seemed to be coming along nicely. Valencio remarked, "I think Kurt should have worn shorts."

Tasha said, "You know those sex scenes in Son of Satan. Did they need to edit much?"

"A little. I've always been too easily excited."

Tasha put an arm around him, "Do you think they'll mind if we leave them now?"

Valencio smiled at her, "Maybe we'd best wait until we're dismissed."

_xchapter endsx_


	31. Chapter 31

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 31:_

Early in March, Valencio and Tasha sat at separate tables in the guests' dining room. Tasha wore the yellow jacket of a host, and Valencio wore a yellow vest. Clarence was also a host, and went to each of the four tables, giving details of upcoming activities, as he did every breakfast. "Tennis lessons every afternoon, straight after lunch, suitable for beginners, but Kurt says he's not good enough to teach better players. The films to be shown this week are on the Notice Board, _The Centurion_ this afternoon, _The Hundred Year Spell_ after dinner."

Valencio swore to himself. They probably didn't realize he was in it. He'd best make sure it wasn't shown. Bad enough that they all seemed to know he'd been in Son of Satan, he didn't want them seeing The Hundred Year Spell.

Clarence continued. "Rides as usual, easy in the morning, more demanding in the afternoon, but led by Mary, not Gloria, as she and Vince are going to a horse sale. If you're interested in going as well, see Vince."

A woman said, "A friend said that guests can enter gymkhanas."

"The next one that's close is in Leeton in three weeks. If you're still going to be here then, talk to Gloria, and she'll arrange practice."

Sue wondered if she could get an extension. Her friend, Lorraine, had a photograph of herself as a Spanish Senorita on a big grey horse with a flowing mane. She wanted one too, if possible. Clarence mentioned a few other routine activities, said to ask Vince for details, and went to the next table.

Sue said, "Vince, about this horse sale."

"Do you want to come?"

"I'd love to."

"Ten o'clock then. Anyone else?"

A man said, "Are you planning on buying any horses?"

"Gloria wants a couple more small ones for children. Also if there's any unusual looking ones, for entering Fancy Dress events." He grinned, and said, "And then she'll probably buy any skinny one, that looks like it's been ill treated, and any that bites or kicks, because she says she quite often feels like that herself." He quickly added, "Not with guests, of course. Never with guests!"

Barry looked dubious, and asked, "Do any of your horses bite and kick."

"Hardly ever. Our horses mostly like us."

Two women came from the next door table, and Valencio said, "Ten o'clock. Wait at the yellow post near the main entrance."

Three more from the last table, and Valencio said, "Six then, and any in the units who want to come."

"How will they know?"

"Like a newsletter, put under their door every morning."

"Not as friendly."

"Some like their independence. Cater for themselves, join any activities they want, ignore those they don't want, same as anyone else."

At ten o'clock, he drove his horse box to the bright yellow post, put here for just this purpose, consulted his list, and marked off the ones whose names he'd taken at breakfast. He looked up as a woman approached.

Galina hesitated. She hadn't realized that he'd be going with Gloria. He smiled at her, and asked, "You want to come to the horse sale?"

Galina decided it would be more conspicuous to pull out now, and said, "Of course."

Valencio asked, "Name, just so we can make sure you're not left behind?"

"Galina."

Valencio marked it on his list, and said generally, "The bus, which Clarence is driving, and one passenger can come with me if they want."

Sue said quickly, "I'd like to come with you."

Another woman said, "Don't let him lure you into bed then. You know what happens to his girlfriends."

Valencio reddened. It hadn't been as bad as he'd expected, but it was a bit embarrassing. He said casually, "Probably why they only let me kiss in the next one."

Galina asked, "What are you talking about?"

"I was in a couple of movies, but only the first one's released yet."

Galina looked at the woman who'd been with Sue, and moved closer. She was obviously the one to ask. When had he had time to do two movies?

Gloria wasn't wearing the yellow vest, and it was Clarence, Amreeta, and especially Valencio who had guests with them. Cramsie McGonnigal was there as well, to give advice. Gloria made a slow inspection, checking the catalogue. She said quietly, "John can tell if a horse has a nasty streak, but I didn't want to ask him."

"I read he's in America anyway."

He was happy not to have bloody wizards around. Why was he feeling more irked about wizards than usual? He looked around, straight at Galina, who quickly averted her eyes. For the first time in a very long time, he stared at someone, wanting to know what they were thinking. But Galina knew about telepathy, and was thinking loud thoughts about avoiding the puddles on the ground.

Gloria said, "That's a possibility."

Valencio looked at the pony, and objected, "It's tiny!"

Gloria nodded. "About 10 hands. You're right. Too small. 11 hands minimum is more useful, 12 hands is better."

They continued, and Gloria said, "So many black ponies, just like Ruby and Kellie."

"They're very useful."

"We'll buy more probably, when our own get older. Not right now." She hesitated at a pure white horse, with light blue eyes. "Albino!"

Amreeta joined them, and said, "That one, if it's quiet. And the rider would be all white, even the bridle, if possible. It can be a ghost or something."

Gloria consulted the catalogue. "Only five, and supposed to be quiet. I'll ask Cam to have a look."

She looked for a long time at a few shaggy ponies, and then said, "No. I think I'll pass them by. And anyway, in a couple of years, we'll have Jack and Zephyr available."

"So only one then?" said Valencio. "I'm disappointed."

"We have to be sensible. We've got an awful lot of horses."

"I suppose."

Gloria smiled, "On the other hand, some are only borrowed, and both Thowra and Mosquito are to go back soon. Their owner wants them."

"Thowra will be missed."

Gloria nodded. Thowra routinely won show classes for his rider. She said thoughtfully, "I might just have another look at the heavy horses."

Galina's March report. "I found myself too close, accidentally, and he stared at me as if suspicious. So someone else would be better next time."

Narzu-Han nodded, and said, "He has a great deal of intelligence, as well as potential telepathy."

Galina said, "Maybe it was in the winter months, but he's been to Hollywood, and made two movies, one not yet released, the first very successful."

Narzu-Han sat up, "What!" Stupid, stupid boy. He was supposed to stay where he seemed to be safe. He wished he could put fences around him again.

Galina said, "It seems that everyone knows of it, and he's up for some sort of a big award for acting. No-one could work out why he's not going there in case he wins it." She passed him a piece of paper. "I did some research, and the details are written down."

"Was he alright?" demanded Narzu-Han, urgently.

"Seemed fine. At tennis lessons most afternoons, they've got a couple of young men there working for them, so Vince has less to do than usual. Out riding most days. Dug up an area for gardening, cleans tack, brushes horses..." She smiled, "Invariably refuses autographs, but agrees to pose with guests for photographs. It seems he's a bit famous, though I guess only while the movie's such a hit."

Narzu-Han said, "I need to know if he's going to do it again. I need more frequent reports. He has to be stopped from putting himself at risk."

Galina said, puzzled, "What risk? If he wants to act, why should you stop him?"

Narzu-Han said, "Because..." He ran a hand over his forehead, and said lamely, "The costs come out of my personal money, not Council money. It's what I want."

Galina shrugged, and said she'd talk to Feena.

Back at Loch Lomand, Carol said, "The Academy Awards, Vince. If you have no objection, we could make it a big night for the guests. It will be on TV in the evening, and we could all get dressed up as film stars, put it on the big screen in the theatre, and have refreshments next door."

Valencio said, resigned, "They all seem to know about it. I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

Tasha beamed at him, "It'll be like being there!"

Inge asked excitedly, "Who did you ask to accept it for you, Vince?"

"I didn't ask anyone. Sent a note in case I won, to say thank you very much, but unfortunately, I'm too busy on the farm to attend."

Inge laughed at him, and said scornfully, "Too busy on the farm!"

"How did the audition go for the ad?"

"I haven't heard yet, but I think I have a good chance."

"I've scarcely ever had to audition. Mostly just chosen, and offered the part."

Evita said, "I start Monday. It's a series, a soapie. Just a small part, but a real part."

"What about your cows and things?"

Evita shrugged, "They're Ingrid's and Adolfina's as well. I'd rather be a film star."

The night of the Academy Awards, Valencio donned his tuxedo, and Tasha puffed up the frills on his shirt. Valencio grinned at himself in the mirror, and said, "Fancy Dress."

Tasha slipped on her evening gown, and he ran a hand admiringly over her bare back, "You look beautiful."

Tasha kissed him. She was glowing. Valencio didn't know yet, but she did. There was a time difference, and the awards on TV were not live.

Bernice and Clarence fussed over refreshments, offering guests champagne and wine, but refusing Valencio a beer. He protested, "I like beer! I don't like wine."

Bernice said firmly, "No beer."

"I'm a film star, remember. Film stars get awfully temperamental if they don't get what they want."

Bernice laughed, "Get it yourself then."

Valencio grinned, and went to the main drinks fridge, bringing back a carton, and then offering beer to the guests, though only a few of the men accepted. It was an occasion, and the women loved getting dressed up as much as possible, and drinking champagne. Some of them had new dresses they'd made themselves, designed by Amreeta, and helped with the sewing by Emma, who had a considerable talent. She liked helping with the activities that didn't attract men. Emma would always distrust men, even avoiding Mary's Gary.

The night was for the guests more than it was for Valencio. With the weather often cold and wet, Carol took care that there were always activities, including a social occasion every Saturday night. Belinda softly played music in the background. Farfalla moved around with her camera, taking photographs of couples, and of the few stray singles, who always wanted to be photographed with Vince. Valencio was working as much as Kurt and Hans, who were acting as waiters. Entertaining guests, making sure they had a good time. Loch Lomand was currently supporting nineteen people, not including the ones at Edinburgh University, living on the profits of the motel.

Inge was escorted by Paul, whose perseverance had her softening to him. There was no engagement. Inge wasn't ready to settle down. Kurt was now going out with one of the local girls, who was preening herself that she was preferred over the beautiful Loch Lomand women. She was there as well, looking a bit lost with Kurt working. Carol noticed and glanced at Evita, flicking her eyes toward the girl. Evita went to her side, and started talking to her. Carol glanced around the room, ensuring no others were left by themselves.

Helene called, "Time to take your seats if you want to watch, it's starting."

Quite a few were already there, having been watching for the last half hour, as the stars arrived in their limousines, greeted by the flashes of photographs. Tasha was with them, interested in seeing those she'd come to know. She wished they could have been there, but Valencio had been adamant. Others were expected to be not interested, and Hans was still in the other room, ready to serve drinks, although Kurt was off duty, and joined his girlfriend.

Almost all the guests were present. Not two young couples with toddlers, and not Feena, who was in one of the remaining one bedroom units, watching on her own TV.

As Valencio entered, Tasha noticed, and called to him, "Look Vince. It's Jean-Pierre."

Valencio glanced at the large screen, and said, "Who's the woman he's with?"

Tasha peered, and shook her head, but the unctuous voice of the commentator gave her name, and said that Jean-Pierre had to be the most eligible bachelor in the world, and maybe this one would be serious.

"He's dreamy," remarked one of the guests.

Another said, "Not as dreamy as Ben Bgorn. That's my favourite."

Tasha glanced at Valencio, her mouth quivering.

The Son of Satan had made a big impact, and the award for Best Motion Picture had been widely predicted. Schuster had his Best Director Oscar, and Vince had his second Oscar, though few knew about the first. The audience in Hollywood laughed when it was mentioned that Vince was notoriously shy, and his note was read out. 'Too busy on the farm!'

The audience at Loch Lomand also laughed, and called teasing comments, as he sat back in his chair, grinned sheepishly, and blushed bright red.

Six weeks later, May, the first of three foals was born. They called him Oscar. A script arrived for Valencio. He looked at the covering letter, resisted the temptation to read the script, and sent it back, still sealed, stating that he had no intention of doing any more acting.

Schuster swore. There were other good-looking actors, but he hadn't wanted that particular film reduced to a mere action movie. A few days later, Carol, in her office in the Entry Lodge, looked surprised at Jean-Pierre Dequienne, and the lesser known actor, Robert Lorusso, and agreed that they could go and find Vince, if they wanted. She checked her watch, and said, "He's taking a ride at the moment. If you want, ask for Gloria. She'll know where he's gone."

She wondered how they'd found where he lived. She knew that Vince only ever gave their London Post Office address.

Valencio was riding Emanuelle, with a trail of six beginners behind him, all on the quiet ponies. Behind them was Tasha on Honey, and behind her were four intermediate riders. Then Shona. They were walking slowly through the apple orchard, all the trees in full bloom, and buzzing with bees. He paused at the site of the old ruins, which they'd decided might have been a tiny church, as it was right next to the graves. Mary had planted climbing roses next to it, which she expected to look wonderful - next year.

Valencio slipped off his horse, and called, "If you want, have a look around. Hitching rail near the old chapel."

One of the visitors asked, "Can we collect apple blossom for our rooms?"

"If you're willing to brave the bees. But not off the very young trees in case they die."

He helped a child off Thunder, and patted the pony. They were very placid, these ponies. Very, very useful. Shona investigated a rabbit hole. There was almost always a dog or two following the rides. Luckily, none were aggressive.

Valencio looked up at the sound of a cantering horse, to see Gloria, with two riders following. He stared, and then laughed, walking to meet Jean-Pierre, shaking his hand, and also greeting Bobby.

Jean-Pierre said, "You got it!"

Valencio nodded. "It came in the mail a few days ago. Maybe they didn't like me not being there. They took their time!"

Bobby looked around, and said, "It's beautiful! No wonder you don't like to leave it."

Valencio nodded. "It is beautiful. Are you joining the ride?"

"Why not?"

"My lot will only be walking, but Tasha's four will go a different way soon, and they canter and take a few jumps."

"We'll come with you, and then afterwards, maybe you'll take us for a gallop."

"We thought we'd ask Carol if we can stay the night."

Tasha came forward, smiling, and gave each of them a hug. She liked them, and Jean-Pierre, especially, had been nice to her husband.

Valencio introduced Jean-Pierre and Bobby to the guests, most of them gaping at the famous film star, Jean-Pierre Dequienne. The new arrivals were genial, and there was soon a general relaxation. Valencio raised his voice, "Ready to go on?"

People started moving to their horses. Valencio glanced around, and then gave a piercing whistle. Two little girls appeared from behind shrubbery, and raced to their ponies. Her father lifted one up, and Valencio held the older girl's pony as she mounted by herself. He looked around, "Right, Wilma?"

A middle aged lady smiled and nodded. Fancy learning to ride a horse at her age!

Valencio mounted Emanuelle, who laid her ears back at Jean-Pierre. "She gets cranky," commented Valencio. "None of the guests ride this one, but she's a dear old girl, really." He patted her, and she stamped her foot.

The two actors turned to their own horses, two Percherons that Gloria had bought in March. They were to be 'chargers' when their guests dressed up as knights. Also useful for heavy guests.

Valencio led off, and the riders made their way further along the Adam Track, then up the steep route to the Kane Way, back along the old, old road as far as the small statue, allowing a stop for people to admire and touch. The spring was now diverted into a small pond surrounded by neat stones, though there was always a trickle of overflow crossing the road. Several took photographs, and Jean-Pierre and Bobby posed cheerfully, arms around guests, as requested.

Valencio watched, grinning. They must realize they were not allowed to upset the guests. When everyone seemed ready, he said, "We backtrack now to the Crossover, which takes us to the Heidi Track." All the tracks were well marked and sign posted. No-one wanted guests getting lost.

Bobby went with Tasha when the rides split up, saying he'd been in cowboy films, and could ride perfectly competently. Jean-Pierre stayed with Valencio, and brought up the rear, smiling as he watched the man who'd acted Son of Satan, taking care with his visitors. He knew all their names, and had Wilma, who looked nervous, right behind him. Even the two small children called him Vince, but they were happy and fearless, bouncing up and down on Thunder and Lightning, who ignored them totally, and just followed along behind Wilma's pony.

Valencio turned around once, and said quietly, "We often see deer around here, if we're quiet enough."

A little while later, he stopped his pony, and pointed. A buck looked down at them from above, before stepping away, nervously high stepped. Jean-Pierre smiled in pleasure. He'd been on African safaris, had seen wild animals before, but it was seeming very special this day, in this comparatively tame wilderness.

Jean-Pierre wanted to talk to Vince on his own, but had to wait as ponies were unsaddled. Valencio asked, "Do you still want a gallop?"

"Very much."

Bobby strolled over to them, and said, "That was a good ride back. I enjoyed it. I thought I'd relax with a swim now though." He added to Jean-Pierre, "Carol's given us a room each in the castle, and our luggage is in the bedrooms. I've had to promise autographs for any who want them."

"Do you give autographs, Vince?"

"No, but I don't mind photos." He turned back to the horses, and asked, "How well do you ride, Jean-Pierre?"

"Very well. Not polished, but I started out on Westerns, the same as Bobby."

"Can you jump?"

"Yes."

"You can have Sirius then. He's about twelve, but very fast. You'll like him."

A short time later, he pointed, and said, "We can race if you like. Jumps about four feet high, all well marked, no slippery takeoffs, and a good length of gallop."

Jean-Pierre hesitated, tempted, but said finally, "My director will kill me if I break a leg. Maybe I'd best not jump."

"A different route, then." Caesar snorted and plunged restlessly. "We won't race, and just follow me."

Caesar stretched out into a gallop within strides, but the route chosen was without jumps, and without hazards. After a while, the horses slowed as they started climbing, finally reaching a high point, where there was a view all around. There was a stone cairn, but the lists of names were not visible unless one knew the secret.

"Grey's Hill," Valencio commented. "We'd called it something else, but a local told us it was always Grey's Hill."

Jean-Pierre looked at Valencio, who stood beside his horse. He was looking very contented.

Valencio returned his look, and said, "Could anyone want anything more?"

Jean-Pierre said, "You can have this, and you can act as well."

Valencio shook his head. "It's dangerous for me, that environment. It could destroy me too easily, I think."

"You loved making Son of Satan. It was the best movie of the year, you won Best Actor." He added ruefully, "And against me, and I thought I acted better in that movie than I've ever acted."

Valencio said casually, "You won't want me back again then," and he turned to his horse and mounted. Caesar shifted restlessly.

Jean-Pierre asked, "When's your romance to be released?"

"Soon, I think," replied Valencio, a bit vaguely.

"And you're boycotting the premiere again."

"I'm not going. I don't think you'd call it a boycott."

Jean-Pierre said suddenly, forcefully, _"Why?_ Why will you not act when you're brilliant at it?"

Valencio said, "I like to act. But it's what I said. I don't like the environment."

"What you said was that it's dangerous for you."

"So it is."

"Why is it so much more dangerous for you than anyone else?"

"Because I'm prey. Because of what I look like. It frightens me. I could hurt someone, and then I'd be in trouble."

"Are you Valencio Durano?"

Valencio said coolly, "That boy died a very long time ago. My name is Vincent McDonald." And suddenly he was galloping flat out down the broad, gently sloping track that took them back down the mountain. Sirius trotted round and round Jean-Pierre as he tried to mount, but at least waited until he had his feet in the stirrups, before taking off after Caesar.

Jean-Pierre had no chance to speak alone again to Valencio, who always seemed surrounded by crowds of people. He did speak to Tasha, who admitted she very much wanted to return to Hollywood, that she loved the excitement and colour.

"Vince says he's frightened of it."

"Vince is being stupid. We've been here four years. It's time we grew up."

Jean-Pierre asked softly, "Where were you before?"

Tasha asked him if he wanted a cup of coffee, the hint usually quite sufficient to discourage questions. Jean-Pierre accepted the coffee, and she fussed around finding him some biscuits. They were in the largest of the guests' sitting rooms. Belinda wandered in vaguely and started to play the piano.

Tasha was looking at her, and said, "All of us are scarred, and some are damaged. But Vince isn't damaged. He only thinks he is. He needs to become all he could be, and to stop hiding."

"So he was Valencio."

Tasha said, very softly, "He was Valencio. But no-one's going to tie him up and hurt him just because he's an actor, rather than a farm labourer."

"How badly was he hurt?"

"We don't really know. He would never talk about it. But I think very badly, especially early on, and that's not counting punishments."

"There was a rumour he killed someone once."

Tasha was silent, and finally said, "He fought a very long time, and they never trusted him not to attack. He wore cuffs on wrists and ankles, for eighteen years, as long as he was there, though no-one else did."

Jean-Pierre said, "For eighteen years."

Tasha nodded.

"The rest of you?"

"Gary's not one of us, just married to Mary. Neither, of course, are Hans and Kurt. The rest of us all came from the enclosures."

"The enclosures!"

Tasha said nervously, "Please don't tell him I said anything."

Jean-Pierre promised, "I won't tell him, or anyone else. Not even Bobby. There are widespread rumours, though."

Jean-Pierre, just before he and Bobby left, said to Vince, "You're probably right. It's a good place here, and Hollywood is not a good place." He pulled him closer, quickly, hugging him, but Valencio stiffened immediately, not understanding that the action had been purely affectionate. There was a script still in Jean-Pierre's suitcase, given to him by Schuster. He'd been supposed to get Vince to read it.

Valencio watched after the expensive car as they drove out. He felt angry. They _should_ have persuaded him. He loved acting, and he wanted to do another film. Yet when a script arrived in the mail a week later, he glanced at the letter, impressed at the money offered, but sent it back unopened. He should not be silly, and anyway, he was needed. Thierry was breaking in Jack, Sonata and Tericai, Loch Lomand's first foals. Melanie was helping, and he wanted to help as well.

He was still watched, but now by medj women, who used the previously booked times, and then asked for extensions, which were usually granted, and sent regular weekly reports to Feena. They thought it was just a routine investigation, to report on the business, the people, and especially on the young man, Vincent McDonald. They also had a photograph and description of John Bellamy. If he appeared, they were to keep well out of his way, but provide as full a report as possible on what he did and said. Narzu-Han wanted to know how closely Bellamy was watching over the medj. The two so far had not aroused suspicion - they were not Ania, with that slightly different feel to them, and Valencio was accustomed to arousing interest, even before he'd been widely known as an actor.

The light and amusing romance was released, but did not create the impact that Son of Satan had done. The whipping scenes were not included.

A young man of eighteen, blonde, baby-faced, nicely built, took the interest of Peter Vojkovic. Kerry Vane smiled at the enormous man, and crossed his fingers that he would not be too much hurt. He would use Vojkovic. He had no other contacts, and Vojkovic could be of enormous benefit to him. Kerry Vane cried out when the Cossack entered his body for the first time, and there was a trace of blood afterwards. The Cossack decided that he should use a little more of the muscle relaxant next time he had a new one. And maybe a little more of the tranquilliser?

_xdividerx_

Late September, autumn. Clarence gave the routine rundown of activities at breakfast.

"Bogridge gymkhana on Saturday, those going in it should see Gloria for practice and for final allocation of horses, even if it's just Fancy Dress. Film this afternoon, _Endurance,_ and this evening, _Entre Nous._ Tennis tournament this afternoon, Gary coordinating, just turn up at two o'clock. Vince, Emma and Thierry are apple and berry picking in the orchard. If anyone wants to help, they're welcome, but it's certainly not expected, and if you do five minutes, and decide you're not doing any more, that's fine, too."

He stopped. "Any questions?"

"Apple pie this evening?"

Clarence grinned. "It's the first harvest we've picked. I'm not at all sure they'll be edible. If so, maybe tomorrow."

Valencio said, "The horses love them. They might be a bit sour, but I eat them."

When the time came, Valencio had his tractor, and Thierry trailed five of their smallest ponies, with baskets on each side of them. She explained to the half dozen guests who were going with them. "The idea is that a picker has a pony close, fills up several buckets, which go in the side panniers, then walks the pony over to the trailer, leaves the full buckets there, and takes more empty buckets to fill up."

"Transport to the orchard?"

"Clarence is taking the little bus, and will go back after a while with a packed lunch for any who endure that long."

One of two elderly ladies said, "I'd appreciate that." She didn't really expect to do much picking, but it sounded a pleasant outing. And she could boast afterwards of working with the film star, Vince McDonald. The film star had three ladders on his trailer, and dozens of brand new plastic buckets. Even if they didn't taste good, the idea of harvesting their own fruit was attractive. Valencio no longer cut grass and made hay. There were too many guests, especially children, and too much possibility of accidents. In any case, there was plenty of money now to buy feed.

Narzu-Han, in Turkey, looked proudly and possessively at Feena, who was pregnant. Narzu-Han had sired many children. Now he would be a father.

Feena smiled at his expression, but asked, "Do you want the latest report on Vince?"

"Of course."

Feena said, "Her name is Amy, she's about sixty, medj of course, as he never notices a medj spy. She says he's very nice, very friendly, has a dog always at his heels, plus often a few children. They were picking apples, and his ladder was knocked over, so that he fell. She says she was sure he'd broken a leg, because it looked bent. But he didn't cry out, only swore a little, and made no sound when they got him onto the trailer and took him back to the castle. She said it turned out that it was only bruised, as he was walking again the day after, though limping."

She looked up, and commented, "Sounds like they get in a healer when they need one."

Narzu-Han nodded.

Feena looked back at the paper. "She says his wife acts as if cross with him sometimes, but she doesn't know why. All the guests seem to know he was in films, and each time anyone asks, he says he has too much to do at home, and is not doing any more acting." She glanced down at the report again, and said, "There's a few paragraphs about Thierry training some young horses, Tericai, Sonata, and Jack."

"Sonata?"

Feena referred to the report. "She must be a horse lover. She describes at least a dozen of their horses. Sonata, she says, is dapple grey, and very pretty."

Narzu-Han remembered an enclosure woman called Sonata. Extravagantly curved, lovely face. She couldn't talk properly - able to open her mouth only a small amount. It had been a punishment after she took a piece out of a penis. He asked, "Is there a woman called Sonata amongst them?"

"No, I made a full list early on, remember. None called Sonata."

Killed in a cull then, he supposed. He sighed. They really had been ruthless, and he remembered Valencio's words again, _You are a part of an evil family, who does things that no civilized human being would do._ He'd accepted what he'd grown up with, accepted the periodic culls as just an unfortunate necessity, assured that the deaths were painless. Valencio. So full of life now. Happy now. Would he have stopped the taking of slaves if he'd become leader? He didn't know. He knew he'd never regret owning Valencio.

Narzu-Han thanked Feena, and watched the films again. Struck by the first, amused by the second - not familiar enough with the genre of romance to catch the hint of satire, but loving it when he saw his boy playing with swords. There was that big man close to him - something in the expression. He really thought that he'd have to intervene if Valencio was lured back to Hollywood. He'd be prey, and Valencio needed to be protected. But it seemed he'd decided for himself that he was better at the home that Bellamy had made for his medj.

Valencio was beginning to be restless. He'd been home eight months, and the weather was turning colder. He suggested a holiday somewhere warmer, but Tasha was scheming, and refused. She wanted him restless. When the time was right, she'd make her move. Schuster and Schoen were waiting for him, Schuster convinced that no other actor was suitable for the lead role in _Papacy Scandal_. Meantime, Schuster was making _Murder in Chelsea_, with John Van der Post and Nikole Kristos.

But it was Inge and Evita, not Tasha, that brought Valencio back to acting. They still often gathered in the ballroom after dinner, and one evening, Inge handed Valencio a script, and said, "You're the professional. Evita and I want to audition for parts, but we're undecided what to go for. Will you read it for us, and see what you think?"

Evita said, "It's to be made in England, part in their London studios, and part on location at a castle in Exeter."

"A full length film?"

"Made for TV I think, but Laurie wasn't quite clear on that."

Valencio started flipping through the script, and after a while, hooked a chair around in front of him, put his feet on it, settled back, and became totally immersed. Inge winked at Evita. Connie frowned at him. There was no wizard to make things instantly clean and tidy with a spell, and she'd rebuked him so often for putting his feet up on the furniture.

Two hours later, Valencio put down the script and frowned into the air. It was set in Regency times, but a love story, not a mere romance. There was tragedy, acceptance, and a dawning hope at the end. It was not a simple story.

Inge sat down with him expectantly. He asked, "What part are you thinking of?"

"The bride."

"That's optimistic, a starring role."

Evita said, "I want to be the viscount's young sister, and I even look a bit like you."

Valencio was puzzled.

Inge explained, "I probably won't get the part of the bride, not experienced enough, but if we get you to audition for the part of the viscount, Laurie promises us both reasonable parts."

There was a hush. Tasha waited, as well as the girls.

Valencio flipped through the script again, briefly, and said, "Tasha could go for the part of the bride's mother, if she wanted."

Tasha beamed, "You'll do it then?"

Valencio said casually, "I'd need another serving of apple pie and custard, of course. And a coffee."

The girls raced to get what he asked for. He said to Tasha, "Will that do? London, not Hollywood?"

Tasha smiled, "That'll do for now."

In London, ten days later, Tatiana's husband, Hugh, shook hands and hid his resignation. It was as if his wife had an enormous family, and overnight visitors were routine, whenever any of them had business in London.

Tatiana asked, "How long?"

"Auditions for us all, probably a few days. But if we get parts, we'll rent a place for the duration."

Tatiana smiled, "I'll love having you here."

Inge said, "We're almost bound to get parts, our agent promised."

"Maybe not the parts we especially want, of course."

"You, Vince?"

"I'm to audition for the part of a viscount, but my English upper crust accent leaves a lot to be desired. I may miss out."

Evita said, "I'm pretty sure they want you, and they know how you speak, the same as me. They'll probably drop in a hint that we were educated in Europe, or something."

Hugh said, "It'd be interesting to watch the auditions. But I can't be spared from work."

Inge said, "It's pretty tedious mostly. An awful lot of waiting around, and then you say a few lines, and often get dismissed straightaway. Not what they're looking for."

Valencio said, "It depends who the director is. Maybe if we do become involved, I could ask if you're allowed to watch some of the acting."

Hugh beamed, "I'd love that."

Valencio, the following day, did his audition early, just a few lines with the Viscount's father, the Duke, who was telling him sternly that he was over thirty, and it was his duty to get married, and have heirs - legitimate heirs. Valencio looked bored and arrogant, but finally conceded that he would go to the Presentation Ball and look over this year's crop of debutantes.

At the back of the room sat a fat man in an expensive suit, Anthony Hopkins, the producer. A thin, worried looking man was doing the organization. He introduced himself as Tim Bodie, but said that he would probably not be directing. Laurie was there as well, seeing three of those auditioning were on his books, and Tasha, he presumed, if she, also, won a part.

Hopkins raised his voice. "McDonald, you may stay."

Valencio frowned at him slightly, he didn't like being addressed as McDonald, but then shrugged and took a seat, as a dozen more actors said the same few lines as he had said. Some were dismissed, some told to wait, and pointed to where Valencio sat.

Bodie spoke quietly to Hopkins, and then said, "Vince, you have the part. The rest of you, if you wish, can have parts as assorted acquaintances, details to be worked out later. Usual pay rates, see your agents for details."

The eight men rose, smiling. Work was hard to come by.

Bodie said, "The bride next. And I want you, Vince, to stand close to any possibles, so I can see what you look like together. The same for the sister, also mother and father. You have to look like family." Except for the bride, Valencio assumed.

Inge was considered for the bride, but passed over in favour of someone more experienced. Valencio was relieved. He had to finally fall in love with the bride casually chosen, and a passionate kiss to little Inge somehow seemed to him not quite right. The chosen actress was called Justine Howard, and was a small woman, with a winsome face, and considerable experience.

As instructed, he pulled her close and kissed, and she showed fear, remarking afterwards, with a twinkle, "At least you're not Satan's Son this time."

Inge was one of the hopefuls kept aside to be given another role. Evita, however, was chosen for her preferred role, the young sister of the viscount, after they stood side by side, and their faces and colouring compared. The 'parents,' the Duke and Duchess, had then to be chosen with regard to the son and daughter. It was late, and Tasha had still not auditioned. She didn't mind what part she had, but was auditioning for the part of the bride's mother. Not a big part, but an important part. Tasha adored being part of a film, but was not good at acting.

The day after, it was settled, filming to start in a month, director still not decided. Laurie beamed at the four who presented themselves in his office, afterward. He ran through contracts, and asked whether they were willing to be interviewed afterwards, "Though probably only Evita, as the sister, will be wanted."

Evita looked doubtfully at Valencio, who said casually, "I follow John's simple rule, no autographs, no interviews. I think interviews could be embarrassing, and autographs are incredibly tedious. It's up to you."

Inge said to Evita, "We're not like Vince, whom everybody wants. And our past is merely that we finished school last year."

But Evita said firmly, "No interviews, but I guess I'll do autographs if anyone wants my autograph."

Inge said, "The same for me."

Tasha agreed. She had a small part, but might have a few lines to say.

Valencio asked, "Any idea yet who's to direct?" It was an important question. The director was effectively the actors' boss.

Laurie answered, "I've been in touch with Schuster. He's busy himself, but has suggested Ashley Vernstein might be interested in putting his name forward."

Valencio said, surprised, "You rang Schuster?"

"He's very interested in your career. You might even find him visiting."

Valencio said, "It's not exactly an important film."

Evita turned on him, "It's a _wonderful_ film, a love story!"

"Sorry. I only meant that it's not the sort of big budget film that Schuster gets involved in."

Inge asked, "How's Ashley to work with?"

"He's fine, not as experienced as Schuster, of course, but he's fine."

Laurie piled his papers, "I'll have contracts ready for signing by tomorrow. Meantime, I just need to talk to Vince for a few minutes."

Tasha stood, "We'll wait outside then."

Inge gave Valencio a curious look, but Valencio just waited as the women left.

Laurie said, "Schuster told me you cannot do scenes when you get tied up."

Valencio nodded, "I made a fool of myself when asked to do a perfectly harmless whipping scene. I'd probably do the same thing again. No point trying."

"Why?"

Valencio evaded, "Past history. All of us bear scars."

"Schuster knows, I think, but he wouldn't tell me."

Valencio said, "There is no need to go into it. The worst that happens in this film is that the viscount falls off his horse, and I assume that'll probably be a stunt man."

Laurie nodded, "Undoubtedly."

He glanced again at the papers on his desk, and said, "Your name is known now, and I think it may become a higher profile film than was planned. All that means at this stage is that there might be more money to play with for the producer, better facilities, maybe. We can use your name, of course, as last year's Oscar winner, but we'll still talk about you as the shy and retiring mystery farm boy." He grinned, "The note at the Academy Awards, that you're too busy on the farm to collect your Oscar... It could have made influential people very hostile, but doesn't seem to have done. You can have as much work as you want - Hollywood, London, wherever you want."

Valencio asked curiously, "How much is just my looks? I'm thirty-five now. I wonder if I'll still have work offered when I'm fifty."

"Probably not a role like Satan's Son, which required physical perfection." Laurie paused, and looked seriously at Valencio, "You're a great actor, Vincent. I think you can work into old age."

Valencio grinned ruefully, "In old age, maybe, I won't have perverts like Ben Bgorn grabbing my bottom!"

Laurie laughed, and asked, "Is that why you don't like Hollywood?"

Valencio grinned sheepishly, "Mostly. Schuster gave me bodyguards, so I wouldn't hit anyone that groped. Like a chap called Henderson, who promised to ruin my career."

"Is there anyone whom you would absolutely not like to work with? Ben Bgorn, I assume. Anyone else?"

"Peter Vojkovik. I will not work again with Peter Vojkovik."

"I'll make a note. Things like that are important."

Valencio said gratefully, "Thank you, Laurie."

Maybe acting was not as dangerous as he thought. Laurie was prepared to look after him, Schuster as well, and Jean-Pierre. He knew that Jean-Pierre had been somewhat attracted, but he'd never allowed it to affect his actions. Jean-Pierre and Bobby had been together for years. He liked Bobby as well. He guessed it was as Tasha said. He was being a bit silly, and maybe he should at least read scripts that were sent to him.

A month later, the arrogant viscount, his sister at his side, galloped Thoroughbreds, following hounds in full cry. It was a fox hunt, as the English aristocracy had enjoyed for hundreds of years before it was banned. Both Evita and Valencio had good horses, Ashley relieved that the pair of them were competent riders. Vince rode sloppily, in the eyes of the horse handler, although Evita was alright.

A camera rode smoothly on a vehicle next to them, and the viscount had to grin back at his sister, carefree instead of arrogant for a change, just before the horses take a large jump. The stunt man soared through the air, flying off his horse and falling hard. The viscount was arranged on the ground, eyes closed and head bleeding, as the hunt streamed on, including the sister, as beautiful and as callous as himself.

A few hunt followers gathered around. A grizzled farmer said quietly to another, "If he dies, our daughters will be safer, at least."

"The last of the line, isn't he, not counting the daughter?"

"Who inherits?"

"The old Duke's still alive, of course."

Narzu-Han's report. Galina said, "We've placed a spy in the camera crew, though we had to use magic to get him in. He's medj, and experienced at camera-work, and thinks he's working for a gossip magazine, so he's very happy with two lots of pay coming in. He said that Vince was friendly, learned all their names very quickly, and seems to be having a wonderful time. His wife has a small part, though she's not been called on to act as yet. Two of the youngest of the medj, Evita and Inge, also have parts. Evita has quite an important part."

"How old are they?"

"Still in their teens."

Probably only twelve when taken then. Or even younger.

Galina referred back to her notes. "Neil says he's a brilliant actor, and did the bit when he was supposed to be confused and in pain from his head injury very well indeed. He's not temperamental, as stars often are, and works easily and well with the director, who's the same one as in Aegean Romance." Galina smiled. She'd asked Neil to put in any funny bits. She liked to amuse the boss. "He had to have lessons in horse riding, as the riding instructor says he knows gallop and full stop, and nothing in between. So every day for three weeks, he was trying to do something that Neil said was a collected trot, but yawning over it."

Narzu-Han smiled. Trust his boy.

Galina said, "There was something else. I don't know how important it is. Neil said that he overheard talk that a certain person wants him beaten up, his looks destroyed. Neil said it was an unreliable source, and it probably means nothing."

Narzu-Han was a wealthy man again, and didn't need to stint. He didn't want his beautiful boy becoming ordinary in looks. He didn't want him hurt, either. He said, "I wish I could give him a wizard bodyguard."

Galina said, "We can place a wizard within apparation range, and have Neil call him if Vince appears to be in any danger."

Narzu-Han frowned, and said finally, "Something more active, I think. Have someone investigate, and if there is such a threat, the problem should be dealt with before any action is taken to hurt Vince."

Galina nodded, "I'll see what can be done." She changed the subject, "How's the baby?"

Narzu-Han said proudly, "Very bright indeed. You can't usually tell when they're so small, but we can tell."

Galina smiled at his pride, and wondered if her original supposition about Vince McDonald might, after all, be correct. He showed the same pride when she told him how popular Vince was. On the other hand, she now knew for certain that the group at Loch Lomand was known by British Anirage as 'Bellamy's medj,' rescued from lives as slaves of the evil Khatabi family of Morocco. But how did Narzu-Han know him? He was a strong advocate of law and order, and surely could never have been part of it.

She'd never asked. Narzu-Han was easy to get on with normally, but had little tolerance for impertinent questions. Could he have visited at some time, maybe? Been offered the use of the slaves as part of hospitality? But Narzu-Han liked women, loved his wife. He would never have asked for a boy! Could he have _helped_ the great wizard rescue them? That was more likely.

It was a mystery that Galina would have liked to solve, but not at the risk of disturbing Feena, so happy with her husband and little daughter.

Investigation is easy when a person can be made to tell anything required, and then made to forget that he was ever questioned. Valencio was quite exposed on location. Yet he felt perfectly safe, made friends with a few of the locals, who'd been given small parts, and went with them to the local pub after work several times. The third time, the gossip was of a pair of male strangers, who'd been found, lost and confused, finally identified as minor criminals, usually residing in Liverpool. There was nothing to say that their presence had anything to do with the film being made nearby, and no extra precautions were taken. In any case, filming was almost finished there. The next scenes would be at a 'ballroom.'

The Loch Lomand crew were mostly enjoying themselves, Valencio engrossed in his part, not yet challenging, and Evita thrilled to have such an important role, though admitting that she felt the lack of formal training. Tasha thought that the workaday London studio was infinitely inferior to Hollywood, though at least she was involved, and would be for nearly all the movie, as the bride's personal maid. Inge was taking a close interest in the coordination, and finally confided that what she thought would really be great, would be to direct, or produce, not act.

Some very much more challenging scenes were ahead, and Ashley sent a message to his friend and mentor for help.

Valencio beamed when he turned and saw Schuster quietly watching, going to him, shaking his hand. They were at a turning point in the movie, and Ash had been undecided, wanting one thing one day, and another the next. But Schuster took charge for a couple of weeks, and Valencio knew that it had made the difference. The love story would be far more than a trite romance.

He tried to explain to the others what Schuster had done. That emotions didn't have to make sense, but yet there had to be a reason, and an origin. That now there was a buildup, rather than a confusion. That Schuster had pulled the strands together.

Evita said, "So far my character has almost ignored the poor 'bride,' so how am I going to show my change of heart?"

Valencio handed her a copy of the script, indicated the page, and said, "I'll play the sister, you play the bride, and I'll show you how I'd play it."

Evita looked at him afterwards, "You didn't seem to do anything much at all, and yet we can tell."

"If you believe in your part, sometimes things come naturally. But a lot is technique, and what I did then, is simply technique."

Evita nodded slowly. "When this is over, I'll take formal lessons, I think."

"You're doing well without formal training. But it helps, all the same."

"Did you have any formal training?"

"Some, in between films, but there were only a few months each time."

"Your acting in Summer in Rome - I think you deserved that Oscar, as well as last year's."

Tasha said, "I didn't watch it. I didn't want to."

Valencio said, "I haven't seen it myself since freedom, only once when I was a kid. But I suspect the Oscar was mostly to console my mother."

Inge said, "It was deserved. I think so, as well."

Tasha said, "I'll make sure and watch it soon."

Valencio shrugged, "If you want, though it's ancient history. And that's the film responsible for my loss of freedom. I don't want to see it."

"Another cup of coffee?"

Valencio smiled, grateful. He wasn't planning on admitting that he'd tried to watch it, and then couldn't seem to stop crying.

The report in March. "Neil says it's going to be a very good movie, with a great deal more impact than he would have expected. He says that the electricity between Vince and Justine was amazing, though there was no talk of an affair. That Evita seemed to become better and better. The actors have dispersed now, and it's expected to be released around July, or even later."

"So there was only that one incident of a man making overtures, and he was rejected with reasonable courtesy."

"As far as Neil knows."

"Any talk of another movie?"

"Evita is returning to London in April, with a part in an ongoing series, but nothing for Vince."

"You have someone in place in Loch Lomand?"

"At intervals through the year, and a request to advise if there's cancellations. But it seems that quite a few of their guests have started to book from year to year, and there's a few who seem almost permanent."

"I'm surprised it's so popular. They don't really seem to be offering much."

"They offer more than what appears on the surface. I think a lot of it is what I said a long time ago. They are happy, and seem to be able to give a little of that to their guests."

Narzu-Han smiled. His boy was happy. Poor little Emma was happy. Even Ingrid, whom he was paying for, and had never met - she was happy.

_xchapter endsx_


	32. Chapter 32

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 32:_

A morning early in April, Valencio slipped on the yellow vest for breakfast. Tasha wasn't planning on joining him. She was taking less interest in their guests, and planned instead on a shopping trip. New clothes, first for the trip to New York, where they'd visit Dean, and his wife, Amanda, then Hollywood again. Their apartment already waited for them. _The Marriage Mart_ had been good for Valencio, she thought. Sufficient challenge to keep him interested, and no problems whatsoever. Schuster had been very pleased indeed when she'd contacted him, and said that Vince would be interested in reading a script now. _The Papacy Scandal_. According to Schuster, he'd had it in mind for over a year.

Schuster estimated that the filming would take a good seven or eight months this time, and there were already several elaborate sets being built. One that would be the inner chambers of the Vatican, and another that would be the Sistine Chapel, although that would be supplemented with footage of the real thing. There was already a 'City Street' set, which, with a few modifications, would become the 'Streets of Rome.'

The open square of 'Vatican City' was updated from an old film, but money was spent ensuring more faithful and detailed reproductions of the famous buildings. Millions had been spent, even before filming began. Schuster planned that no-one would be able to tell that it had not been made on location, as had been the original intention, only prevented by an uncooperative Catholic beaurocracy.

Tasha had been Schuster's ally in getting Valencio back, and he used his influence to get her a place in one of the six month 'traineeships' for those interested in film-making. Few of the trainees made it far, but it meant there was at least an apparent avenue into the industry. He thought it would keep her interested and occupied, without having to give her a part. Her acting had been barely adequate, he felt, in Marriage Mart.

To his irritation, Tasha accepted with pleasure - for Inge Obwegeser.

Inge was overjoyed. She'd heard about those traineeships, but she also knew they were in very heavy demand, and booked out years ahead, in spite of the heavy fees. The expense was no problem for her, as Valencio said he would pay, and that she could stay with them as well. Inge accepted, but only to begin with. She had some savings, and Carol would assign her enough money to live on, even though it was an expensive place to live.

They had two male backpackers again at Loch Lomand, working in exchange for a small wage, plus keep. Extra labour was needed when Valencio was otherwise occupied.

Clarence was host, and made the rounds at breakfast, "Duich Highland Games on Saturday. Please put your names on the list, so we know how many buses we need, though you can take your own car if you want, of course. Films as on the notice-board. A gentle ride this morning, led by Connie, a faster one this afternoon, also with Connie, and a strenuous one with Gloria, starting at ten, but only for those she's given the nod to. That will be all day, and there will be a lunch. Big horses, not for children, obviously. She warns that there's likely to be heavy demand for the spa afterwards."

Someone asked, "Tennis lessons?"

Clarence nodded. "Every weekday, unless I say different. Morning swimming lessons the same."

"What about the excursion?"

"At eleven, give me names if you haven't already, and wait beside the yellow post." He smiled generally on them, said, "Ask Vince for further details," and went to the next table.

"So what are you doing today, Vince?"

"Going with Gloria. And she says that I'll be far too tired afterwards to do anything else."

"There's only a few visitors going, I heard."

"Three last count. But that's alright. We don't have that many big horses."

"What do you count big horses."

"Big horses? Well, there's three Anglo-Arabs, including my horse Caesar, two Percherons still young enough for a gruelling ride, and then there's Madigan, Kendrick, Kennedy, Heathcliffe..."

"Red Ruin?"

Valencio nodded. "He'll probably be going."

One of the men said, "She promised me Sirius."

"Sirius is an extremely good horse. He nearly always wins the Picnic Races, when we have them."

A little before ten, Valencio, two men and a woman in tow, smiled at Thierry, who was patting Kennedy. Thierry greeted the guests, and introduced herself. Thierry never acted as host, and seldom even wore the yellow vest, though she was that day. She said to Valencio, "Gloria said to saddle Sirius, Red Ruin, and Kendrick for the guests, and Tasha's to have Heathcliffe."

Caesar whinnied shrilly. "In a moment, Caesar," said Valencio. "Have a bit of patience."

But then there were a few more whinnies, and Madigan jumped his paddock fence and galloped down the drive. "John! It must be!" said Thierry.

They turned, smiling, as John cantered Madigan back towards them. He was in old jeans and a bright shirt, as they were accustomed to seeing him. His hair was long now, but tied back in a casual ponytail. He smiled at them as he saw the horses saddled. "Going for a ride?"

"A long ride," answered Valencio, smiling. "Want to come?"

Gloria arrived, striding fast, and called, "John!"

He slipped off his horse, and hugged her.

"We haven't seen you for ages!"

"Been busy. Zoe only let me go home for two days at Christmas."

He extended a hand, and said, "They tell me you've done another film, Vince."

Valencio said, "I had to learn to ride in a more disciplined manner. The riding instructor was tearing his hair out at me." He turned and said, "John, these are guests, Andrea, Claude, and Daniel."

Bellamy greeted them genially, until nudged so hard by Madigan, he nearly fell over, only grabbed at the last minute by Claude.

Gloria said, "I'll saddle Reya for myself, if you want to have Madigan."

"A long ride, Vince said."

"We have lunch at a Bed & Breakfast place, have a look at their museum, and we've told Vince he has to buy a McDonald kilt. They have them there. Then we come a different way home through private property, but it's all arranged. We'll be actually on horseback, I estimate, for about four hours."

Bellamy said, "I've barely ridden these past few years. I'd love to come."

Emma said shyly, "Hello, John."

He turned to her and greeted her, only hugging her when she came forward, and hugged him. He kissed her gently on the forehead, then. "Got everything you need?"

She nodded, and said, "I have _everything_ I need. I think we all do."

Andrea hadn't been supposed to go anywhere near Bellamy if he appeared, considered making an excuse, such as pretending to twist an ankle, but looked at the quality horse saddled, ears pricked and waiting, and decided to take the risk. Anyway, there was not the slightest reason why he should become suspicious, any more than Vince had ever become suspicious.

Madigan was overjoyed to have the boss on his back again, and Bellamy indulged his desire to buck and play, only taking him away from the other horses, so as not to upset them, and laughing.

Gloria shook her head, and turned to the others, "Everyone set? Andrea? Daniel?" There were nods and smiles, and she started trotting Reya towards the drive that led off the property.

Andrea rode beside Valencio, and remarked, "We couldn't have had a lovelier day for the time of year."

Valencio said, "I love the spring here - a shame we'll miss most of it."

"The filming in London?"

"This one's in America."

A few minutes later, they were cantering along the bridle track that led to Bogridge, but after a while, Gloria slowed Reya, whistled shrilly to Valencio, whose horse was cantering fast past her, and he turned, ignoring the bad-tempered head shakings of Caesar.

"Through here, Vince," Gloria said sternly, opening a gate, "And no speeding!"

Valencio laughed. "At least Clem waited until I could afford it, before he fined me."

Claude asked, "Do you ever drive the bus, Vince?"

"I'm a very safe driver really, but Carol thinks I go too fast, and won't let me take passengers."

"Ever had an accident?"

"Not a car accident."

The horses started to string out, riding in pairs through dense forest. Valencio turned to see John and Andrea behind him, John talking genially, Andrea, for some reason, looking nervous.

As Gloria had promised, it was a strenuous ride. After lunch, Vince modelled the McDonald kilt for Tasha. Claude laughed at him, and said he didn't look much like a Scotsman.

Valencio blushed, "It's Carol's fault. She said I couldn't go to any more Highland Games unless I was properly dressed as a true McDonald."

"But you're not exactly Scottish are you, Vince?"

"Half breed. My mother was Greek, and I was raised partly in Athens, though we travelled a fair bit around Europe. My father was Scottish, though."

Andrea said, "I always thought you were Italian."

"I speak a bit of Italian, we were in Rome a few months once."

It would all go in her report. John Bellamy hadn't said anything to alarm her, and she didn't know about telepathy.

The kilt was wrapped for Valencio, and he paid. He had a lot of money now, but neither he nor Tasha seemed to find many things to buy. They were not accustomed to spending money.

Andrea sent an urgent report, but Narzu-Han had word even before the report arrived. John Bellamy walked into his office in Turkey, and waited for him to look up. He was abrupt, "Why are you watching Vince?"

Narzu-Han put down his pen and used a carefully casual voice, "While you're here, I'd appreciate it if you did some spell-breaking. We have several victims waiting." Bellamy waited, and Narzu-Han sighed. "Valencio is vulnerable. Partly because of his looks, partly because of the harm we did to him - the harm I did to him. I just want to make sure he's safe."

"You were thinking of interfering, weren't you?"

"I would have liked to interfere. But he seems safe enough as long as he only makes films in London. Compared to America, it seems healthy."

Bellamy sat down, and said, "Tell me exactly why you think he's at risk."

It was obvious that Narzu-Han's unwanted visitor had no intention of leaving. Reluctantly, he explained, "He hated what we did to him. Felt a shame, thought he was dirty. Very, very dirty. He tried to kill his first owner only a couple of months after he was taken, and nearly succeeded. He was just twelve. Tried to kill his second owner. That was Adil. When he became mine, he'd not long recovered from an illness of the mind. Too thin, still, because while he'd been ill, he didn't eat properly. Abensur pulled him back, by making him first accept, and then enjoy what was done to him. He's a very sexual young man, and during the next couple of years, that sexuality was fully woken. Yet he could never really accept it, and it was destroying him. I let him go at the age of seventeen, and as far as I know, there's been no man since."

"Hasn't he shown himself healthy now?"

"Men want him, and will always want him. Even men who always have women. All it will take is for a man to make the right moves. If he succumbs, it will start all over again."

Bellamy shook his head, "I can't understand anyone wanting a boy."

"Everyone wanted him, but it was not because he was a boy. Not even because of his beauty. More because of his spirit, that men wanted to somehow share. I understand it better myself now. I'd never wanted a boy. Seldom even used the slaves. But Valencio... How much did he tell you?"

"A little."

"Did he tell you that a man died while in bed with him? Of the pleasure of having him, it was said."

"He didn't tell me that."

Narzu-Han smiled. "I punished him once for something. He was about fifteen, and I had him hobbled. Legs and right hand. He hated being seen as undignified, and wouldn't do it in front of wizards - bloody wizards, he always called us. But he'd get around very speedily when he thought none of us were watching. And he'd swim. Lucky he didn't drown himself, really. But he learned to swim underwater, very fast. He learned to hit, with the restrained right fist, and knocked down a guard. It was a severe punishment, but he overcame it. He has a spirit, and I cared very deeply for him. Still do. He doesn't know I'm keeping a watch over him. He's happier when he thinks I've forgotten him. But I still want to protect him."

Bellamy frowned at him, "You'd put him in an enclosure again, if you could."

Narzu-Han shook his head, "Not in an enclosure. He was never happy as a prisoner, though he was safe. I just don't want him putting himself at risk."

Bellamy said, "He is free now, and needs to be free. Freedom brings risks. We must not interfere."

"When he was making the last film, there were thugs sent to give him a thorough beating. Punishment for hitting a man whose advances he'd refused. It was my vigilance that stopped that happening."

"I told him a long time ago that he could call me if I was needed. That I would hear, and whatever I was doing, I would come. I will remind him, but I still say that you must not interfere. Not you, not me. He must not be constrained."

Narzu-Han said, "If he stays at Loch Lomand, he's safe."

"I watched Son of Satan not long ago, though I haven't seen the others. He's a magnificent actor."

Narzu-Han smiled proudly. "He could always act. It must have been some very good acting to persuade a Khatabi Fighter to take off the paralysis spell, so he could kill him!"

Bellamy's anger re-awoke. An old scar on his forehead appeared to become very prominent. It was legendary - see that ancient scar blaze - prepare to die. Narzu-Han waited calmly.

Bellamy rose, and said, apparently calmly, "He has the intention of going to America to make another film. Do not interfere with him. He's a grown man, knows himself, and must take his own risks."

"Then please remind him that he can call you. Maybe you should show him that he can call you in a way that is not urgent, so that he won't be too reluctant to inconvenience you. Just that he needs help, but you don't have to leave in the middle of a meeting or something, as you did not so long ago."

"You heard that?"

Narzu-Han nodded.

"It was someone who grew up on my property. In big trouble, or he would not have called."

Bellamy looked as if he was about to leave. Narzu-Han asked, "How are my cousins, Najia and Zhor?"

Bellamy smiled fondly, and said, "Najia has everyone loving her, and Zoe is looking at Persia, next."

"Tell her, whatever I can do to help."

Bellamy said grudgingly, "You've done a good job in Turkey. Last thing I expected when I sent you here."

"Unfortunately, it's too soon to outlaw duelling. And we do need some spell-breaking done."

"Women and children, like the previous times I've been here?"

"Anyone abusing women and children are punished these days, even when it's the victim's husband or father."

"Arrange it with the British DMT. I'll do it when convenient."

He started to leave, but looked back at Narzu-Han, and said, "I told him a long time ago to call me if he saw you, and if he wanted, I would kill you for him. He may not want you killed, but if I think it's the best thing for him, I could do it."

The great wizard walked towards the door of the office, vanishing mid-stride, and silently. Narzu-Han shook his head. He'd never seen anyone apparate so utterly casually, and everyone else always made a noise.

Bellamy was very thoughtful afterwards. He remembered very clearly what Valencio had told him, also remembered the feel of his excitement as he spoke of the Brieke-tei, and his deep shame. Would he be tempted, and if he succumbed, would it destroy him? Narzu-Han obviously knew him very well, and cared for him.

Bellamy sighed. He had to be free, but maybe, as Narzu-Han suggested, he could remind him that he could call. No-one else could apparate beside him, merely because he made a mental cry for help. John Bellamy could.

For the next two days, Bellamy spent time at Loch Lomand, waiting for his opportunity. He wanted to talk to Valencio on his own, but he so seldom seemed to be on his own. He finally found him soon after breakfast, leaning on the fence of Bluey's Paddock, talking to a new horse, a yearling, from his own property. He joined him casually, and said, "One of Paul's employees named him. Pirate Captain, after your movie. She thinks you're dreamy!"

"He does look like he's got an eye patch."

"Just that bit of black. Aside from that, he's just a touch small for Line of Sheba, but really, too much white is his only real flaw, and I don't think it matters, myself." He glanced over at the units. The children were already looking for their Vince. He said, "Join me for a gallop? Just you and I?"

Valencio was a little surprised, a little wary even. He looked questioningly at Bellamy, and then asked, "Will I saddle Madigan for you?"

"I'll saddle Madigan. Why don't you get Sirius? They always used to race. They can race again."

"I've never actually ridden Sirius. Can he beat Madigan?"

"Used to be able to, barely, but not if the race goes on long enough. Madigan has more endurance, but he's about thirteen now, beginning to be middle-aged."

Valencio grinned. It was to be a real race then, and he could win. He whistled, and Sirius raised his head. Valencio had some of the same ability as Bellamy, to talk to the horses.

Five minutes later, both horses pranced to where the race would begin, the race with the jumps. Both had their ears pricked, and Bellamy laughed. "We were always racing, Margaret Barnes and I, when Sirius was her horse. The loser had to put them away."

"Margaret?"

"She was Peter Barnes' sister, Oliver's aunt, but was killed in an accident."

Valencio glanced at Bellamy, wondering for a moment at the sudden acute sadness he could feel, though the wizard's expression didn't show it. He didn't query, only said, "The red post marks the end of the race-track with the jumps. Take that one?"

"See who's in the lead then, and that's one winner, and then continue to the top."

"You think Madigan will be in front at the top?"

"Madigan's a very big, strong horse. But we'll rest them there."

Valencio gave him another slightly worried look, but then shrugged. It was John, and what if John wanted to talk to him? No reason to think it might be anything concerning. Only that sadness...

Bellamy said softly, "One, two, three," and Sirius leapt forward even before Valencio's signal, Madigan a bare instant behind. An audience was peering, hurrying to get closer, as the two black horses galloped, taking fences smoothly, easily. Sirius kept his lead, a nose in front at the red pole. For a while, Madigan surged ahead, as they took the sloping track upward to the top of Grey's Hill. Then Sirius, but he was beginning to tire, and it was Madigan again when they reached the small area bare of grass.

The two riders grinned at each other, and the horses snorted and danced a little. Bellamy said, laughing, "They still love it, just as much as I do."

Valencio dismounted, and patted Sirius. "You're a _great_ horse. No wonder you always win the picnic races!"

Bellamy also dismounted, and said, "If we just put up the stirrups, they probably won't wander."

Valencio did as he said, and knotted the reins. "Don't go too far," he told Sirius, who snuffled at him, and then sniffed at the ground, almost bare up here.

Valencio went and sat on a park bench, from where they could see a long way. He remarked, "Five horses you've given us. It's very generous." Bellamy looked awkward, and Valencio glanced at him, and said, "You know I've got a lot of money now. I can pay if you want, John."

Bellamy shook his head. "The Andalusians were a gift from Helena Pickering, who is medj, and tore strips off Paul when she found out your history."

Valencio was surprised, "Paul Pickering had nothing to do with it."

"Helena blames us all. It pleased her to make the gift. And the others, the yearling, and the two piebalds, they're from me, and Dot says I'm rich enough to do as I please. Gloria could have chosen a dozen if she'd wanted."

Valencio asked directly, "Then what is it you want to talk to me about?"

Bellamy said slowly, "Do you remember telling me that you thought that in some places, you'd always be a target?"

Valencio's heart fell. He said, "You're quite right. I was stupid. I should not even consider going to Hollywood."

Bellamy said, "You do exactly what you want to do. I just wanted to remind you that you can call me. Urgently if you need me urgently, but you can think to me something like, Please drop in sometime in the next few days, or few hours."

"Are you that good you'll get the message?"

"With most people, probably not. But you have your own talent, and some of the effort comes from you."

Valencio said, "I shouldn't go. You only had to mention it, and I know I shouldn't go. But the contracts were signed weeks ago, there's been some filming already done, at the Vatican, and in Rome, and they'd sue me. But it's not just that. A professional doesn't quit on a film. And Tasha would be furious."

"Why is it so important to Tasha?"

"She needs to be valued. Because her family have rejected her. And in Hollywood, they make much of her."

"You've already done two films there."

"I have bodyguards. Not like yours, but just men who make sure I'm not alone. So I don't hit anyone if they make a pass. So they don't make a pass in the first place."

"So you're not really that vulnerable."

Valencio stared blindly at the view. They could see for miles here. If they went closer to the edge, they could look down on the castle. He was vulnerable. Of course he was vulnerable. Probably protected, but not from himself. But how could he admit even to John that he might be tempted? If the Cossack hadn't pulled him close, if he hadn't held him still, so that he felt his desire... He hadn't been tempted until that moment. He said, "This movie will have as much of an impact as Son of Satan. I'm the lead, but the pope is played by Romano Berlisconi."

"You can't wait, can you?"

Valencio sighed, and admitted, "I can't wait. It will take all my skills. The story is gripping. It would hurt to see someone else do it."

"I was very impressed with Son of Satan."

"Those last few weeks of doing Son of Satan - it was hard to think of anything else. I very much want to be the cardinal."

Bellamy said calmly, "I look forward to seeing it."

Valencio smiled, suddenly again confident. Of course it would be alright. He was going to make a great movie. And he would enjoy seeing ones he knew there. Nikole would be in it, and Dave. It was over a year since he'd been to Hollywood. And he thought that Schuster always tried to work with the same camera crew, and he'd know most of them, as well. He wondered where Jean-Pierre was working. He liked and trusted Jean-Pierre. Valencio put his doubts to the side. He was going to act, and he loved acting.

He remarked, "Gloria said one of the new horses was called Washing Machine."

Bellamy laughed, "It can't have been expected to be permanent. Because he's all black, except for one white leg. Helena said it was an odd sock, and washing machines are notorious for odd socks."

"How long do you think it'll take to break them in?"

"About three months. I'll start them off because I'm good at that, but then Victor and Melanie will take over."

"I suggested to Gloria she call them Jean-Pierre and Bobby, because they were friends, always together. And the men I know, Jean-Pierre and Bobby, they're always together."

Bellamy pointed, "We won't be alone much longer. Who's that coming?"

Valencio stood, and shaded his eyes. "Gloria, with a couple of the guests. I can't make out who." He glanced at Sirius, "I hope I'm not going to get into trouble for taking Sirius. I forgot to check the lists. He might have been wanted."

The following morning at breakfast, Clarence said, "Market day in Duich, if anyone's interested, just the normal bus run, but no extra fares needed for our visitors. Films, _Indi_ in the afternoon, The _Centurian_ in the evening. Saturday week, we're having a Regency Ball, and some women might like to join Emma this afternoon to start making themselves appropriate gowns."

Andrea asked, "Do we get to keep those?"

"Only if you pay for materials. Otherwise, they're kept for other guests in the future. We already have a selection that can be borrowed, but not enough for everyone. Not that you'll be thrown out if you're wearing ordinary dress, of course." He glanced down at his notes. "Nothing else special."

Claude asked, "What are you doing today, Vince?"

"Taking the gentle morning ride through the apple orchard."

"This afternoon?"

"Helping Waldo paint the bridge on the Heidi Track. Connie doesn't like it faded." He raised his voice. "Clarence, don't forget that Svetlana, Inge and I are doing dancing lessons."

Clarence looked at his notes, and said, "No-one told me about that."

"Two hours every evening, eight o'clock, until the Ball, except that Inge and I'll be gone Monday, and it'll only be Svetlana."

It was a typical day, and as Valencio led the gentle ride to the old chapel, and dismounted, he felt his pleasure. It was sunny, and the apple trees were just beginning to bloom, especially the ones he'd planted, which seemed to flower a little earlier than the old ones, and had slightly bigger flowers. He said, "You want to hop off and have a look, Betty?"

Betty accepted the helping hand, and Valencio patted Dragon Breath. Lucky they were strong ponies. Betty was stout, middle-aged, and limping slightly. There were only three riders, but the rides always went anyway, even if there was only one wanting to go with them. Part of the service, part of the holiday.

That evening, he bowed to Betty, who smiled her pleasure, and gave him the regulation curtsy. Practice for the Regency Ball. He knew the measured steps of the dances very well now, as he'd had to dance in Marriage Mart as well as Aegean Romance.

Saturday, he looked self conscious as he donned his kilt, and the shirt and jacket that went with it. But Gary, too, was in a kilt, as he was a McGregor, and Mary as well. Gary's brother, Clem, was off duty, and he and his wife would be in kilts, even Tiffany and Cramsie McGonnigal would be in kilts. It wasn't so bad when he was in company, and Tasha was pleased with him, as well as Carol. Carol used Valencio as part of the entertainment.

The regulation question, "Hey, Vince, what do you wear under your kilt."

Valencio grinned sheepishly, and replied, "The most concealing underpants I could find!"

Tuesday, at breakfast, Clarence said, "Now that Vince is out of the way, we'll show the Aegean Romance, and you can see just what a Regency Ball looks like."

"Why didn't you show it before?"

"He gets embarrassed, and if we ever show Son of Satan while he's close, he says he'll bury his yellow vest, and never look at a visitor again."

There was laughter. Vince was a general favourite.

_xchapter endsx_


	33. Chapter 33

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 33:_

Inge travelled with Valencio and Tasha, and was with them when they were house guests at Dean Blockman's house, in New York. For the first time, Valencio found that people turned to stare after him in the streets, and there were whispers. Dean noticed as well, and wondered if Valencio had the slightest idea about wealth management.

He asked that evening, and Valencio answered, "In a cheque account."

"At what interest rate?"

Valencio looked at Tasha, who shrugged.

Dean said, "You have an accountant?"

"No."

"Do you know about paying tax?"

Valencio looked blank.

"Have you done a tax return since you started earning money?"

Tasha said, "The first two years. Dot helped us, remember?"

Valencio said ruefully, "I forgot, but I think they took tax out before they paid me for Son of Satan."

Dean smiled, "That's a relief."

Tasha said, "As soon as we get back, we'll find an accountant. There's one in Bogridge, I remember seeing the offices."

Inge said, "I know him. It's Angus McKay. He gets drunk a lot, and I had to slap his face one time."

Tasha laughed and said, "We'd best find one in Duich then."

Dean proceeded to give a lecture about the necessity for annual tax returns, and the importance of keeping all relevant records. And then he said, "There's another thing. It's criminal to have large amounts of money sitting in a cheque account and not earning decent interest. If you'll trust me, I'll invest it for you."

Valencio said, "I'd be very grateful."

Dean's wife, Amanda, laughed, "Too much trust! Would you have handed over your money to the drunken Bogridge accountant as easily?"

Valencio looked rueful, and admitted, "I might have done."

Dean said, "What about you, Inge? Do you know about these things?"

"We did a bit at school. I didn't forget. I just haven't had much to declare yet."

Amanda said, "You were in the same place as Vince and Tasha, weren't you, Inge?"

Dean looked at his wife, surprised, but Inge only said, "I prefer to keep that quiet."

Amanda nodded, "Understandable."

She looked back at Valencio, and said, "Vince, I'm afraid you're not going to be able to keep it quiet that you were Valencio Durano - not for much longer. It's now common gossip."

Valencio looked annoyed at Dean, who said, "I didn't tell her."

Amanda said, "It was one of my friends. She didn't even know I knew you. But she was showing a group of women two films, Son of Satan, and Spindrift. And afterwards, she showed us still photographs, of the boy, and of the man, and asked us what we thought. It was the day's entertainment. It was a 'Solve the mystery' day, which is a bit of a fad at the moment. The conclusion was definite - that Valencio Durano was Vince McDonald."

Valencio was looking at the floor.

Dean said casually, "Coffee, anyone? And Vince, if it's going to be common gossip anyway, you might as well claim your inheritance, which, incidentally, includes an estate in Italy, as well as the Trust Fund."

He left Valencio to think about it as he put on coffee to brew. Amanda joined him, and returned with two plates of cakes. She already knew that her guests were not interested in fancy cheeses, which she'd normally serve after dinner.

For a while, Dean and Amanda chatted casually about an art exhibition they'd seen.

Quite suddenly, Valencio said, "You spoke of an estate in Italy. Is that where I grew up?"

Dean said, "That's the one. It's been managed for several years by a man of your own age, whom you used to know, Giustino Fedi, and his wife, Anna."

"Giustino!"

Tasha asked, "Who was Giustino, Vince?"

"My best friend at school. He tried to help me when they came for me." He added, "But anyway, I can't claim. I have solid identity documents that prove I'm someone else. I'd be in trouble if they were shown to be false."

Dean said calmly, "All I have to do is convince the two other trustees. You could stay officially Vince McDonald, even say that you only bought the estate from the trust."

Tasha asked, "How could you prove it to the other trustees?"

"There are fingerprints on file from his room. We'd just have to compare fingerprints."

Valencio remarked, "I'm surprised there were any to find. Francesca was such a fanatical cleaner."

"It appeared that you may have gone out the window. There was a clear set on the external window sill."

Valencio nodded. "I woke up in the night, and knew they'd come back for me. So I went out the window, to go down the tree and clear out. But I fell and broke my leg, and Pervez was there, and then they had me."

He was looking at the floor, looking very bleak. Tasha sat on the arm of his chair, stroked his face, and said, "Pervez was scarred after you attacked him, did you know? Just a small mark on his neck, but at least he was scarred."

Valencio said, "That's a consolation."

Inge said, "I never knew you tried for Pervez, Vince."

"I jumped on him from above, and stuck a sharpened handle of a comb in his neck."

Tasha said with satisfaction, "He turned blue, couldn't breathe, but they took him away and cured him, unfortunately."

Inge said, "It was Pervez took me, too. A pity you didn't kill him!"

Valencio said, "I was told he was imprisoned for attempted kidnap, and looks different now. One of his intended victims kicked him in the face."

Inge beamed, and Tasha said, "You didn't tell me that!"

"Forgot. Other things were happening at the time."

Amanda asked, "What did they do to you for attacking him, Vince?"

"I was barely punished that time." He looked up and smiled, "I hit Botan too, the same day. Only hurt him a bit, though."

Tasha said, surprised, "I didn't know that, either!"

"It was after you were all sent away. I was up a tree, and manoeuvred myself above Botan to jump on him. Clearly remember jabbing the weapon into his side, but then they did something, I guess, and they had me again afterwards. Didn't severely punish, though."

Amanda said softly, "How old were you then?"

"Twelve, but it's a different life. A long time ago." He said firmly, "Best forgotten," and took a sip from his coffee. "It's cold. I'll get myself another."

Amanda said as he disappeared, "I'm surprised he survived."

Tasha said, "He was treated differently to the rest of us. If one of us was even what they deemed insolent, we would not get away with it. But Vince was frankly rude, which pleased us all. And no-one else would have survived attacking the bastards, but punishments never stopped him, and they never quite killed him. Nearly, several times. Yet they loved him."

Valencio had returned, and was leaning against the wall, sipping his coffee. He said mockingly, "Never loved enough to be freed!" He added, "I'm not claiming. Not yet. One day, I guess."

Dean said calmly, "The other trustees are not pushing. They know you're alive. I told them. The estate is looked after. I visited not long ago, and Giustino has apparently heard rumours that you're alive, as well. You'll get a welcome when you decide to go back."

"In spite of what I was used for?"

"It might be embarrassing, but no-one with any sense would condemn."

Tasha said sadly, "My family condemn me."

Inge said, "Mine too. They just try and conceal it."

Amanda said firmly, "Then they're not sensible people. And don't worry. I'll be as close-mouthed as Dean always has been. He never told me Vince's real name, never told me how he knew him. Never even slipped, and said Valencio instead of Vince."

Valencio smiled at her, "One day, you'll have to try one of our holidays. We'll teach you to ride a horse."

Amanda returned his smile, and replied, "One day, I'd like that."

Later that night, in bed, Amanda asked Dean, "The ones who took them, were they ever punished?"

Dean replied, "Vince says not to his satisfaction, but there's nothing they can do. A lot of them are dead, and it no longer happens. Different control, and the one who looks after them, the one they call John, married their leaders."

"Leaders plural?"

"Apparently. Must be Muslim, I suppose. They can have more than one wife."

"Has he told you anything more?"

"He clams up if I ask for too much. I learned more today than ever before."

"Inge, poor little girl. She must have been just a child!"

xdividerx

Not long later, Vincent McDonald was deeply involved in acting. It was a challenging role, and he was giving everything to it. He was often tired at the end of the day, but was looked after. As for the previous film he made in Hollywood, he had both Ronny Vale and Jorg Volker making sure he was not exposed and vulnerable. Several of the minor actors kept an eye on him as well, especially Dave Lonergan, aware that he was a target. Dave was the one who'd been especially pleased when he hit Phil Henderson.

Another of the actors was Kerry Vane, and he also seemed to like being with him. Valencio didn't take to Kerry, in spite of the friendship offered.

Valencio knew most of the camera crew, most of the other workers, and was surprised that one Neil Fletcher, who'd been in England, was with them. He felt comfortable, at home, doing the job he was born for.

Inge found herself a small flat of her own, though not far away from the apartment, not much larger, rented by Valencio and Tasha. She started her course only a week after Vince started work. Whenever possible, Valencio and his escort, usually Jorg in the morning, would drop her off at the classroom where the students always met, though they could be found almost anywhere after that, learning about all the different aspects of movie making, from set design to animation. It was a comprehensive course, though not deep, not in just six months.

Tasha knew enough people now that she was seldom bored, and was beginning to learn to spend. After all, Vince was earning very big money, and there was the prospect of a lot more, as soon as she persuaded him to claim the money that was due to him. Sometimes she had pleasant daydreams of appearing in furs and diamonds, in a luxury car, and just showing her family that she was important and worthwhile after all.

Besides Vince, there were other well-known actors in The Papacy Scandal, such as Nick Kingsley, who usually played action heroes, but would have to use different skills this time, and the veteran actor, Romano Berlisconi. Jean-Pierre and Bobby were not in the movie, though they were working not far away. They were halfway through a movie called _Justinian,_ and sometimes shared the 'Streets of Rome' set with them, even a lot of the extras. Peter Vojkovic, the Cossack, was also in that movie.

In the fourth week, Peter Vojkovic came across Valencio in the gymnasium, apparently alone, exercising on a rowing machine. The Cossack wasn't planning on waiting until Vince's movie finished this time, in case he missed his chance, as he had after Aegean Romance. He approached, but Valencio stood out of the machine, straightaway, raised fists, and said very coldly, "Keep away from me."

Vojkovic took a step forward, all the same. He just had to hold him maybe, and Vince could be his.

Valencio raised his fists a little more. Ronny came in. He'd only been to the toilet. He said, surprised, "Pete?"

The Cossack laughed, "Poor Vince is a bit paranoid, I'm afraid. Surely he knows that not every man is after him."

Valencio said, very quietly, "Be careful, Vojkovic. I'm not entirely rational about some things."

Vojkovic said gently, "You don't have to be frightened of me," and he turned and walked away.

That night, again, the Cossack watched the uncut version of Son of Satan, recently acquired. His companion was Kerry Vane, who shared his house and bed, though it was always discreet. Even Kerry's girlfriend didn't know, and he did have a small flat of his own. Kerry was nineteen now, almost twenty, at home in the environment. He socialized widely, and was known to be a reliable source of drugs of various kinds, and very knowledgeable about their use. He lived modestly, and was beginning to accumulate a large amount of money, invested prudently.

Tasha was out most days, but she and Valencio socialized as a couple only very moderately. They went to a party at Nick's once, but left early, and a few times to small parties at the home of Jean-Pierre and Bobby, but it was a larger party that the Cossack wanted.

He and Jean-Pierre were friendly, and his home was conveniently close. He thought his opportunity might come at Jean-Pierre's place. Vince was too paranoid. Just a little of the sedative would give him the chance. Not rape, of course. Just reduce his defensiveness enough to come close and rouse the reciprocal desire that he was convinced that Vince had for him. Vince wanted it, too, and if he didn't, all he had to do was say no. Young Jeremy Watkins had said no, and he'd accepted it, and Kerry had taken him home.

Three months after Valencio started the movie, he asked Schuster, "Does poor Romano really have to kiss my feet?"

Romano smiled, "I've had to do a lot worse in my acting career. But anyway, I have no intention of making any contact."

"It seems a very odd thing to be doing! Are you sure the pope really does it? Or is someone having a joke with us?"

Schuster explained, "It's a very old tradition. He kisses the feet of his priests sometimes, as a ritual act of humility. Sometimes the cardinals kiss his feet. This time, he kisses your feet."

"So how am I supposed to feel about it?"

"How do you think your character would feel about it?"

Valencio scratched his head, and then offered, "Thoroughly embarrassed, actually!"

Schuster gave his thin smile, and said, "You look embarrassed, then you feel empowered, look up at the ceiling, and almost glow."

"Now Schuster, I might be able to cry on command, but _glowing?"_

Schuster laughed, and said, "You'll have some help from Mickey with the lights. Read it over and think about it. You have at least twenty minutes. Romano, get a touchup from Dani. You have to look more ill."

Romano nodded, and went to Dani, who had her equipment ready for the touchups needed.

Valencio took his script, sat down, and read it over, shaking his head again. He still didn't quite understand this scene. Look up, and feel empowered. He glanced up at the ceiling. A perfectly ordinary ceiling, but there was a lighting man high up, and as he watched, a stand-in was put in position, and a light was shone on his face.

"More subtle," ordered Schuster, "And only gradually becoming more pronounced."

Valencio frowned, and looked back at his script, but not reading, thinking. How did a man feel suddenly empowered? He smiled. He'd felt very good when he'd killed Charandev that time, but the glee of a thirteen-year-old boy was probably not what was wanted. Empowered. Had he ever felt empowered?

At the back of the studio, there were twelve trainees, including Inge. The teacher was quietly pointing out the arrangement of lights and the cameras, and talking about the walls of the 'room' where the action would take place. "All movable. You can't lean on walls around here, as you might just go crashing through."

One of the trainees asked quietly, "McDonald. How do you think he'll play the scene?"

The teacher shook his head. "I can't imagine, and by the sound of that brief conversation, neither can he."

Valencio didn't hear. He was deep in the past. There had been once, long ago. It was when he'd been at his most helpless, when Adil was going to kill him with the Spell of Pain, and in front of all the women, though at least not the children. Not Helene and Emma. He didn't think it was empowerment that he'd felt that day. More an acceptance, though he'd cried to begin with.

Schuster glanced at him, and didn't interrupt.

Valencio stared at nothing, remembering. He didn't think he'd ever given it much thought, afterwards. But as he had scratched at the number on his arm, trying to obliterate the badge of slavery, he'd become confident that he could face it. It would all be over then. Maybe a quarter hour pain at the most, and then blessed peace. Never again to feel a man inside him. Never again to be hurt by Adil, or anyone else. Had that been empowerment? A helpless boy of thirteen, in the hands of his captors. A slave, sentenced to death. And he'd known he could face it.

He smiled, though there were tears in his eyes. Maybe it had been empowerment. He could do the scene now. Not worry about what he was doing with face and hands. Just be that boy again, facing death, confident that he would not dissolve - or not until the torture began, and there had never been any point trying to be brave while under the Spell of Pain.

He rose and shook out the gorgeous robes of the cardinal. Schuster nodded at the one who fussed over costumes, and she went and fussed, as Valencio waited patiently.

He hadn't realized, but they'd been waiting on him. Valencio went and stood with five other cardinals, for the solemn walk towards where the pope sat waiting, looking tired and ill. No-one spoke to him, understanding that he was now Cardinal Richelieu.

Schuster looked at him, hopeful. He'd deliberately not given much in the way of guidance, partly because he himself was not at all sure how best to achieve the effect. He spoke to Romano. "Do your best _this_ time, Romano. Don't assume the first take is only for practice."

Romano glanced at Valencio's abstracted face, and nodded. Schuster checked around. He wanted no mistakes.

The solemn walk began, six cardinals in their elaborate robes. The young cardinal singled out, who did as ordered, sat in a particular chair, and showed surprise and some embarrassment, as a junior priest was instructed to remove his footwear. Romano came forward, hobbling slightly, and performed the slightly ridiculous action.

Valencio looked upward, and an expression of peaceful acceptance replaced the uncertainty. He could do this. He was the one, and he could do it. Schuster beamed as the lighting was gently raised, so that the face of the young cardinal glowed, for a moment unearthly in its beauty.

He held the scene, caught a cameraman's eye, and pointed to Romano. He wanted more from Romano, who hoped his satisfied face was sufficient.

At last, Schuster said, "Cut." Then, "Vince, don't lose it. We need it again."

Valencio walked back to the beginning mark, and waited as Schuster talked to Romano. He didn't even listen. He was concentrating, still in the past, using that old experience to demonstrate something fictional.

Three more times they did it. Then Schuster said, "We're going to change the scene. It now occurs in the chapel. Vince, go and sit down, but stay here. Romano, you others, half hour break, while the set is changed."

Valencio went to the back of the room, and sat in the tiered seating, inconspicuous. Inge plumped herself beside him, and said, "How did you _do_ that. It was magnificent!"

Valencio jumped, and looked at her, not quite knowing what to say.

Schuster strode across, and snapped, "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing, young lady? You should know better than to interrupt an actor."

Valencio rose, glaring, and put an arm around the waist of Inge. He said, very coldly, "This is Inge, Schuster, a very dear friend."

Schuster hesitated, looking at his actor's face of anger. He'd never seen him look so coldly furious. He said calmly, "Inge, sorry I snapped. Just that I cannot allow Vince's concentration to be broken." He glanced at the other students and the teacher. "You're doing the traineeship?"

Inge said, in a small voice, "That's right."

"What are you interested in?"

Valencio looked at the girl he still held. Inge spoke bravely, "I can't think of anything better to do than direct, as you do. I'm sorry I messed up Vince. I didn't understand."

Schuster said, "Come and see me when the course is finished. Vince, you might as well have a proper break now. Talk to your friend, have a swim, whatever you like. Come back refreshed in an hour."

Valencio nodded, and said to Inge, "What did you want to know?"

Inge said humbly, "I only wanted to know how you did it."

"The so-called empowerment?"

Inge nodded. The teacher and the other students were now a lot closer, and also listening.

Valencio shrugged, and said, "Most of it was just the lighting, plus I remembered something in my past, and used that."

Inge looked at him, frowning thoughtfully, then suddenly grinned. "I bet I know what you were remembering!"

Valencio smiled back, "I doubt very much that you do."

The teacher said, "I guess you'd best have your break, Vince, as Mr. Schuster said."

Valencio nodded at Mardi, and smiled at Inge, "He wasn't even letting me go away. You did me a favour."

Inge said, "I didn't really."

Valencio shrugged. "I did it once, I can do it again. It's no big deal."

He nodded casually to Inge, Mardi and the other students, most of whom he'd met, and walked towards his dressing room to change. He wanted a swim, and then he'd have to try and do what he'd done before. He hoped he could do it.

Mardi remarked to the students, "Try interrupting any other of the big actors, and they'd blow tripe out of you!"

The Cossack was notified that Vince was probably at the swimming pool, but that others were with him, as usual. He came just to look. Ronny looked at him suspiciously, but Vojkovic only regarded the smooth action of Vince as he tirelessly lapped the pool. The body so perfect, his action easy, the remembered feel of him in his arms, struggling, and then relaxing, submitting. One day.

He said a casual few words to Ronny, that he'd come back later. That poor Vince was a bit paranoid sometimes. Ronny nodded, knowing perfectly well that Peter Vojkovic wanted Vince. He didn't have the reputation of making unwanted advances though, and there was no reason to think that Vince was in the slightest danger from the big man.

Valencio hadn't noticed his presence, and was again abstracted. He said nothing as Dani put new makeup on his face, this time a foundation containing tiny iridescent particles. It would give an additional glow when his face was lit. He was costumed, almost in silence. This was a great actor, and those who worked with him, knew it, and unlike Inge, knew not to interrupt when he was like this, preparing for an important scene.

Schuster was anxious, checking that everything was right. He hadn't expected this scene to be important, but now he thought it would be a turning point in the movie - the moment when Cardinal Richelieu became a target, and not only for human machinations.

This time when the cardinal looked towards the ceiling with the additional help of the iridescence of make-up, the effect was more pronounced. This time, he looked at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and raised his hand, just slightly, in an echo of the hand of Adam, touched by God, which was one of the illustrations that covered the ceiling.

Schuster beamed, and the cameras kept rolling, until Valencio quite suddenly looked down, dropped his hand, and stumbled slightly, walking back to take his place with the five other cardinals. A camera caught a look of completely genuine animosity on the face of Nick Kingsley, and Schuster noted it. It could be used. For Schuster, gifted and expert director that he was, used people.

"Just once more, and this time, the moment it's done, I want a long shot of the other cardinals."

Vince went and leaned against a wall, but Dave took a quick step towards him, and said, "Not there, Vince. Come and sit down."

Valencio glanced back at the teetering wall, and apologised. But the mood was lost, and he could not recover the intensity that he'd shown in the previous takes. Schuster wasn't worried, it was the other cardinals he wanted now - the looks of confusion and of resentment. From Nick, something close to hatred.

Over the next two weeks, there were more scenes that left Valencio tired and drained. The other actors were optimistic. The movie would make an impact, and was moving logically to a climax. Schuster spoke to Tasha, who gave him the information he wanted - the date of the London premiere of Marriage Mart, July 14th.

"A fortnight's break for Vince, then, to include that. The last few months will probably leave him thinner than after Son of Satan."

Tasha said, "He gives a lot."

Schuster nodded, "The last actor I directed with his type of genius, was oversensitive, and wound up overdosing on drugs. Died a few years later in an institution."

"Vince is a very strong person. He's survived a lot, and now he's getting the rewards he deserves." There had been no problems at all that Tasha knew of, and she loved it when she was with her husband, and he was pointed out as a film star. He was doing what he was made for. Tasha knew.

The date of the break for Valencio was fixed for July 12th to July 27th. There would not be a break for most of the cast, and not for the crew. Filming would continue - filming of the plot to bring down the one who seemed touched by God. Schuster told Tasha to be sure that Vince rested, and relaxed.

Tasha smiled, "We'll just go home. He's never so relaxed as when we're home."

"Going to the premiere next Saturday?"

"Yes, and the party. Jean-Pierre was insistent. He says he wants his Oscar for _Desert Highway."_

"He might easily get it. Dick told me he's never seen him better."

Tasha was out again the following day, a house party on Stuart's yacht. A couple of days later, there was another entertainment, a 'Solve the Mystery' day at Verna's place. Stuart was there again, on her 'detective team,' and she had a good time with him, arriving home after Valencio, and a little giggly from the alcohol consumed.

Valencio knew he was prey, and was careful. Tasha was also prey. Stuart was nearly sixty, a touch portly, if always well-dressed. He liked the thought of luring the wife of Vince McDonald into his bed. Vince McDonald, over twenty years younger than himself, and so very good-looking.

Some of Tasha's 'girlfriends' thought she was naive. Surely she realized that Stuart was after her. But Tasha had no experience, in a prison from the age of thirteen to thirty-nine.

_xchapter endsx_


	34. Chapter 34

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 34__:_

There were still ten days to go before the scheduled break. A start well before dawn, and Valencio was yawning. He was to go swimming at a deserted beach. Ronny said, "Just ordinary waves today. But Schuster's having it checked every day. He says he needs a flat calm, and he needs a very heavy surf."

Valencio nodded. He knew. The poor cardinal was to have even the elements against him. He'd enter a calm sea, but it would turn on him and try and drown him.

He complained, "Why Schuster had to make it sunrise, I'm not quite sure."

Ronny suggested, "Just general sadism?"

Valencio grinned at his friend, "Maybe so!"

From now on, until Schuster had the needed footage, he wouldn't know when he'd be woken early, to take advantage of the conditions. Probably at least twenty times, Schuster said, so he could show first a calm sea and then its progression to angry and dangerous. The deserted beach was the same one that was often used for filming. The ship he'd used in Aegean Romance was moored close.

He wasn't the only one, of course. There was a camera crew also yawning and complaining, as well as Bill Collins, the stunt man, who would do some of the swimming, especially when it was rough, rather than exhaust Vince.

There was something new at the beach, a temporary pier, with a camera station right at the end, as well protected from the elements as possible. Vince would have to swim past it, and on and on straight out to sea, before turning back.

Schuster checked Valencio's body when he appeared in swimmers. "A few lights on him," he ordered, and studied him thoughtfully.

He said, "Sometimes, priests and nuns whip themselves, to try and teach themselves humility or obedience or something."

Valencio remarked, "Seems a bit cracked to me!"

Schuster said, "Could you do that?"

"Whip myself?"

Schuster said, "As I remember, I think they have a small flail in each hand, and whip over each shoulder in turn. After a while, their back is covered with blood, and they're supposed to be in a religious ecstasy."

Valencio laughed and shook his head. "I _cannot_ imagine pain producing any sort of ecstasy."

"Could you do that?"

"Just myself, whipping my own back, not too hard. I can do that."

Schuster grunted, "Good. We'll do the scenes later today, then, probably, and when we show close-ups of your back, as you go for a swim, there will be marks across it."

Valencio shook his head, "Religion has to be crackers!"

Schuster frowned, "It helps a lot of people. Not some of the things shown in this movie, maybe, but a belief in God."

Valencio said dryly, "I daresay." He didn't think anyone in the enclosures had ever been helped by a belief in God.

Businesslike, Schuster said to his assistant, "How long until sunrise?"

"Thirty-five minutes."

"Enough time," and he turned and instructed Dani what he wanted. "Not too severe, just a few raw red marks."

Dani hesitated, "How would they go?"

Schuster slipped off his belt, and said, "Over the shoulder, just to demonstrate."

Valencio curled the belt over his shoulder, and Dani drew in a line.

"Now the other one."

Dani said, "That's enough. I have the idea."

Valencio handed the belt back to Schuster, who stayed watching a moment, before checking on the camera crew. "A good close-up, as he goes into the water, showing the traces of the self flagellation.

Dani asked, as she worked, "This one won't upset you, will it, Vince?"

"Under my own control and not tied up? This won't upset me."

When instructed, he walked into the water without fanfare, swam past the camera, and on out to sea, before returning to shore. It was mid summer in California. The water was not cold, and he began to think it was a good way to start the day.

Later that day, as instructed by Schuster, who'd done a little research, he held a small flail in each hand, and hit his own back, alternating hands. The blood was painted on by Dani. Schuster took take after take. The expression wasn't right, and finally Valencio, rarely, exploded. "No-one enjoys being whipped. It hurts! The best you can do is pretend you're not there!"

Schuster was silent as Valencio stared at the floor, realizing he'd betrayed himself. Finally, he took a deep breath, and said, "Sorry, Schuster. I'll try again."

"No, take a break. I want to give it some consideration."

Dani spoke sharply to Valencio as he went to sit down, "No! Stay standing. You'll smudge it."

Valencio put his hands in the pockets of his trousers, and stood. He'd used pain to make himself calm sometimes. But he'd been hurt too much. And even when the pain was under his control, he could not conceive of it giving him any sort of a religious experience.

Schuster frowned thoughtfully, and then said abruptly, "Get the makeup off his back, Dani. It was just an idea, but it's not working."

Dani said, "Come here, Vince. I'll wash your back."

She frowned though, when she wiped away the reddened marks, and said, "Schuster. Have a look."

Schuster ran a finger across Valencio's back, feeling the raised welts, and said, "You were hitting far too hard, Vince. You were not supposed to really mark yourself!"

Valencio said wearily, "Does it matter?"

"Probably not."

Schuster still frowned, and Valencio waited. Schuster made his decision, "Just go back and sit where you were whipping yourself." He turned to the head of the camera-crew, and said, "Norm, close-ups, very clear, of his back. Just as it is. Scan around shoulders, and finally come to face. Vince, you're to look tired and sad. Nothing else."

Valencio smiled, "That's easy."

Afterwards, Schuster said, "That's done. But I want dawn swims for the next three days, regardless of conditions. We'll take advantage of the bruised back. But Friday, you can have the rest of the day off, and Saturday. Sunday, depends on conditions. A dawn swim again, if we get the conditions we need. No filming otherwise. We'll be doing some re-writing, I expect."

The report to Narzu-Han was routine. '_Well, and apparently happy. Acting superbly. Is to have a fortnight off, as the last few months are expected to be demanding_.' Neil had his instructions to put in anything funny. Feena and Galina still liked to amuse the boss. '_He leaned against a wall that was only scenery, and ended up with cardinal's robes around his ears. Not hurt, and only laughed at himself. Even the director smiled, and Schuster seldom smiles.'_

The next few days, Schuster went on to other things, and again, it was demanding. Valencio was engrossed in his part, finding himself refreshed and alert after the dawn swims, as the bruising on his back became more obvious and then resolved. Friday, as promised, he was sent home straight after the swim, found Tasha still in bed, and joined her, to their mutual pleasure.

Afterwards, Tasha stroked his face as he sank into a deep sleep. She was pleased. He needed the rest, and it was to be a very big night that night.

A Hollywood premiere. _Desert Highway_, starring Jean-Pierre Dequienne, and Vivienne Lancaster. Director Richard Neuhaus. Valencio and Tasha were guests of Jean-Pierre, whose official date was Inge. Bobby was going separately, and also had a date, who knew she was only there for camouflage. She'd done the job before. There were crowds of people waiting to see the stars as they alighted from their chauffeured limousines.

Tasha was glowing. Amreeta had designed the gown especially for her, and she knew she looked lovely, over forty or not. For only the second time, she was escorted to a big function by her now famous husband, and just next week, there would be another, the London Premiere of The Marriage Mart. Tasha was very happy.

Valencio was uncomfortable. His suit was right. He could thank Dean for that, but he didn't like it when people pointed, and called to him to smile for the cameras. Jean-Pierre smiled around, and looked approachable, though the security men would be quick to intervene if anyone actually did presume to approach.

Valencio was stiff, especially when a woman called, "Are you really little Valencio?" He ignored her, and wanted to hurry inside. He noticed that Peter Vojkovic was not far ahead of them. He'd be there, of course. He'd had an important supporting role in Desert Highway. Vojkovic was idle now that the filming was finished for Justinian. There was an attractive woman on his arm. Renee, who'd helped Valencio learn to dance.

Valencio congratulated Jean-Pierre afterwards, sincerely impressed. Vivienne, too. Her role in Desert Highway had not been an easy one, and he thought her acting very good indeed. And Vojkovic. He was a very competent actor, always in work, though seldom with the lead role.

There were about eighty people at the party afterwards, circulating, gossiping, pairing off. And sometimes helping along their enjoyment with cocaine, or various party drugs, as well as alcohol. Peter Vojkovic stayed away from Valencio, to his relief. He was surrounded instead mostly by younger actors, Dave Lonergan, Tod Morgan and later in the evening, Kerry Vane joined their group.

Valencio was drinking only very moderately, wishing that Tasha showed signs of wanting to leave. But instead she was part of the group that surrounded Vivienne, who was drinking immoderately, and being witty and charming. Inge left early. She didn't think she liked big parties much.

Kerry nodded to Peter, and went to get the car. A starlet went to Dave, whispered in his ear, and he smiled in pleasure and left with her. Tod said, shakily, "I need some fresh air, Vince. Come with me outside a moment?"

Valencio looked at him, surprised, but then shook his own head, a little dizzy. He needed some fresh air as well.

He stumbled a touch as Tod steered him towards the door, and the moment they were outside the house, the Cossack was beside him, squeezing, and saying to him that he was to get in the car that waited. He was obviously tired, and needed to go to bed now. Valencio's sight was blurring, and he peered at the Cossack dizzily.

Vojkovic, now that he was out of sight of the other guests, pulled him close, holding him very tightly, and letting his hands roam. Valencio's excitement was swift and sudden. Of course he wanted the Cossack. He'd wanted the Cossack since he'd been held in his arms that time.

Kerry held the car door open, and Vojkovik said, very firmly, "Get in the car now, Vince."

Valencio staggered, but Kerry grabbed him, and Vojkovik held him. Valencio's sight seemed to be coming and going, and he didn't notice the sneer on the face of Kerry, or the pity on the face of Tod, who was feeling pangs of real conscience.

The chauffeur merely waited. It was not the first time that his employer had brought home a young man from a party, looking a little drunk.

The dose that Valencio had taken with his drink was more than the Cossack had ever used. He wouldn't be able to get him up the stairs without carrying him, but there was a large bedroom on the ground floor, and Valencio had not made the slightest move to resist, just doing what he was told, and pressing close to the man who held him. Kerry and Tod opened doors, and made sure there was no chance of Vince having time to stop and think. The Cossack was thinking that the dose had been too much, as Vince was finding real difficulty in walking, his knees buckling.

He said, in a caressing tone, "We take off your clothes now, and then you can go to bed."

Tod took himself off, but Kerry was excited himself. Maybe Peter would let him have a go, as well.

Peter murmured soothingly as Kerry unbuttoned shirt, and then his hands went to belt buckle. Valencio shook his head. He didn't want this. What were they doing? He struggled suddenly, without warning. Peter pulled him to him, and his strong arms muffled his struggles. Valencio's desire returned, and his struggles subsided.

Once he was naked, he was put to bed, and told to go to sleep.

Sleep? Valencio curled on his side. He needed to sleep. He felt so very sleepy, confused.

Peter swiftly took his own clothes off, and Kerry put them to the side, and stayed, watching, occupying himself folding the clothes first of Pete, and then of Vince, finding a sheathed knife in a pocket, and taking it cautiously to another room before returning, watching, stroking himself.

Peter took no notice of him, but curled up behind Vince, cuddling, and putting an arm over him. Valencio felt his warmth, liking it. Peter's hand caressed over his side and flanks.

Kerry grinned, and helped by passing a tube of lubricant to Vojkovic. This was a tricky moment, but the lubricant was needed. A novice would be hurt without it, even with the ample dose of muscle relaxant. But he was likely to resist at this point, when he was alerted to what was happening.

Valencio didn't struggle. The lotion was only a reassurance to him that he wasn't about to be hurt.

Peter massaged in the lubricant, his deep voice speaking lovingly, reassuringly. Valencio lay relaxed. Peter was undecided. Entering in this position was less likely to hurt the recipient. On the other hand, he could too easily escape. It wasn't rape, of course. Vince was not saying no, but he always preferred a new one prone. Gently, he urged Valencio onto his front, legs together, and moved himself over the prone body.

He wasn't entering yet. This was Valencio Durano, who'd undoubtedly had it before, many times. An experienced man relaxed muscles after a few minutes. The Cossack started the moves of sex, just pushing erect penis against the man beneath him, in a gentle, rhythmical action.

Valencio's head cleared a little, and he tried to push himself up, and away. He didn't want a man in him. He hated having a man in him.

Vojkovik wondered if he'd have the self-control to stop if this man said no. He wanted him so much, had wanted him for a long time. But Valencio didn't say no. It was not in his experience that saying no might stop it happening. He just heaved and struggled, silently, desperately. The Cossack smothered his struggles with his weight and with his strength.

Valencio was helpless, and that response that Abensur had used to tame the slave, now worked against him. He relaxed his body, accepting, and then, almost instantly, wanting. Peter Vojkovic entered, and gently, gently, began to thrust. Valencio moaned, not in pain. So good, so exciting, taken when he was unable to resist.

When the Cossack climaxed, so did Valencio. And when the Cossack withdrew and pushed him onto his side again, he only curled up, relaxed, enjoying the feel of the big body curled around his back. Valencio Durano slept, and didn't even hear when Kerry Vane asked if he could also have a go. Kerry was refused, and Peter wrapped an arm over his newest victim, lovingly, and he, too, slept very contentedly.

It was three hours later that the Cossack stirred again. He started stroking, gently, lovingly. But it was only when he started to push inside the body that he thought he loved, did Valencio come to himself, jerking himself away, then pulling himself urgently out of the bed, looking at the Cossack in confusion and growing anger. What was he doing here? What was Vojkovik doing here? He didn't know where here was.

The Cossack stood as well, going to the man who had given him pleasure, and who had taken pleasure from him, he knew.

Valencio's flash of comprehension was instantly followed by a red fury. He shrieked his fury and started to hit. The Cossack stumbled back and tried to shield his face. Valencio gave him no mercy. After the first few blows hurt him, Vojkovic started to fight back, but Valencio was berserk with his fury, and his attempted retaliation left barely a mark. Even when Kerry heard the noise and tried to intervene, Valencio only laid him out with one blow, and returned to the Cossack, hammering into face and body long after the man lay still.

Finally, he stepped back, and only looked. Peter Vojkovik's face was a mask of raw flesh. His breath bubbled through blood filling his mouth. With a bit of sense returning, Valencio pushed him over into a coma position. It was all he needed, if the man died. Kerry was stirring, pulled himself up, and looked at Valencio in fear.

Valencio said to him, very coldly, "A drug in my drink?"

Kerry said nothing.

Valencio asked, "Where are we?"

"At the home of Peter. You got into his car, perfectly voluntarily."

Valencio narrowed his eyes, and asked, "Address?"

Kerry supplied the address.

Valencio glanced at the figure of Vojkovic, and said, "You'd best call an ambulance." He was thinking furiously. He didn't want to go to gaol, so should keep away from police, at least until he had a chance to prepare some sort of a defence. Maybe Dean could help him, but Jean-Pierre was closer.

He was holding onto rigorous self-control. The last time there had been a man was when he'd tried to strangle Narzu-Han, and now there had been Peter Vojkovic, and there was a shamed knowledge within him that he'd enjoyed it. But the most urgent priority was to stay out of gaol, which would destroy him in no time, he was sure. He dressed and walked out the door, only stumbling a touch, as he turned the corner into the road.

Jean-Pierre was in bed with Bobby, when the loud knocking started at his door. Probably just some stupid fan who'd somehow got past security. There were no guests left. Tasha, very worried, was in their own apartment, still sitting up, wondering whether to call the police. But Valencio was a grown man. What could she say? They would laugh at her.

Valencio's face was calm when he explained to Jean-Pierre that he needed a drug test, straightaway. The results would have to hold up in court, as he'd severely hurt a man. Jean-Pierre looked at his friend, whom he'd taken under his wing, and made the phone call.

Once done, he said calmly, "Come and sit down. Dr. Blucher will be here shortly."

Valencio nodded, and said, "Maybe you'd best stay while he takes the blood. It has to be rock solid."

"Did you kill someone?"

"He was alive when I left."

"And you were raped, I take it."

Valencio was silent. Was it rape when it was so gentle? When he'd enjoyed it? But he definitely remembered being dizzy and confused. Peter Vojkovic would not have been permitted even to come close if he'd been normally alert.

Dr. Blucher arrived quickly. Jean-Pierre explained. "Vince thinks that he was the victim of a date-rape drug. He needs evidence for a possible defence, in case he's charged with assault."

The doctor looked at the man, and said, in a matter-of-fact tone, "In that case, I should examine for signs of rape. You could have him charged first."

Valencio said, "No, just the drug test."

Jean-Pierre said, "Rape's a criminal offense. He should be punished."

Valencio was looking at the floor, and said, "I think I punished him."

The doctor was already taking out a syringe. He said calmly, "Sometimes a side effect of some date-rape type drugs can be uncontrolled rage. If drugs are found in your system, it is a defence."

"I don't think it was a very strong dose. I could still walk, just not very well."

"Dizzy, confused?"

Valencio nodded, and decided maybe he shouldn't feel so terribly guilty.

Jean-Pierre said, "Who was it, Vince? Someone at the party?"

Valencio said nothing. Jean-Pierre tried again. "How badly did you hurt him?"

"He's probably in hospital by now."

The doctor shot a look at his bleak face, and said, "Fists, knife or something else?"

"I forgot I had a knife." He felt in his pockets, and said, "Anyway, they must have taken it."

"Do you remember them taking it?"

"No."

The doctor said, "Another witness won't go astray, maybe the man on the gate."

When blood was drawn, an ample amount, there were the doctor, Jean-Pierre and the security man as witnesses, who signed a note of what they'd witnessed.

Jean-Pierre said again, "Call the police?"

"I don't want to go to gaol."

"I was thinking of a trial for the one who did it, actually."

Valencio shook his head, and said, "If he survives, and I expect he will, he probably won't press charges, as long as he knows we have evidence of drugs."

Jean-Pierre asked, "How long, Tim?"

Blucher replied, "I'll have it done straightaway. Less than an hour for preliminary results."

Jean-Pierre said, "Will you wait here, Vince? And Tim will phone us as soon as he can."

Valencio nodded. He was beginning to be very sleepy again. Jean-Pierre walked with the doctor to the door. Valencio didn't even hear as he said that the man still appeared drug affected, that he should treat him with care. Instead he rose shakily, went to the couch, and curled up, closing his eyes.

He was still under the eyes of the security man, who was wondering if he'd been the one in the car of the Cossack. But Jean-Pierre only regarded the sleeping man, and covered him with a blanket. He didn't even ring Tasha. It was best if the police were not told where he was. It sounded like the rapist could have been very badly hurt.

Bobby roused when Jean-Pierre quietly slid back into bed, and asked how Vince was. "Sleeping. He seems alright, just worried about going to gaol."

"No wonder! Imagine what they'd do to him there."

"He has a very good idea, I think."

They were next roused by a morning phone call from Tasha. Any idea where Vince is?

Jean-Pierre said, trying to be reassuring, "He's here. He's in a little bit of trouble, but I don't think serious."

Tasha said quietly, so that Jean-Pierre had to strain to hear, "Did he kill someone?"

"He hurt someone, but he didn't think he'd die."

"Who?"

"He hasn't told me."

Tasha said, "May I come over?"

"Of course. He could be still asleep. It seems his drink was spiked."

Tasha was shown to the lounge-room where Valencio still slept, though the blanket had slipped to the floor. A frown crossed Valencio's face, and he opened his eyes. He looked confused at Tasha, and then sat up.

She went to him, but he looked away, and said, "I'm sorry."

Tasha said gently, "It's not your fault. Jean-Pierre said there were drugs."

Jean-Pierre said, "You did the right thing coming to me. A quick drug test was essential."

Valencio asked, "Have you heard if he's alright?"

"Who's alright?"

"Vojkovic."

Jean-Pierre frowned, "It couldn't have been Peter. He doesn't rape."

Valencio muttered, "I didn't say it was rape."

Tasha said in a steady voice, "There were drugs. Jean-Pierre says it was confirmed. Someone under the influence of drugs is not capable of giving knowing consent."

Jean-Pierre was beginning to feel hostile. "Peter always says that all a man has to do is say no, and he sends him home. Did you say no?"

Valencio stood, a little unsteadily, "I'd best go home."

Bobby had also come to the door of the room, and now said, "I've heard quiet rumours that the Cossack uses a little chemical help the first time. He might send a boy home if he says no, but maybe it's a little difficult to be thinking that clearly."

Jean-Pierre asked, "Was it like that, Vince?"

Valencio said defensively, "I never said I was charging him with rape. Just that I needed a defence in case he charges me with assault."

Jean-Pierre sighed, "You'd best stay here. I'll make some phone calls, find out where he is."

Bobby observed, "The police could be waiting if he goes back to his own place."

Valencio looked at Tasha, who said, "I'll ask Dean. If needed, he'd know who to get to defend you."

"I'm not going to gaol. Maybe John would help."

Jean-Pierre said, "Was there anyone else there, Vince?"

"Kerry Vane, and I think Tod might have been in the car."

"Did they do it too?"

Valencio shook his head, "I don't think so. Kerry was in another room, but came in when I was beating up Peter."

"Did you hurt him, too?"

"Not much. Just hit him when he tried to interfere. But he woke up after a while, and I said he was to call an ambulance for Peter."

"How badly was Peter hurt?"

Valencio looked at the carpet, "He looked awful."

Tasha said, "Are you sure you don't want evidence taken that you were raped? If you haven't showered yet, there would still be evidence."

Valencio said, "Can I use your shower, Jean-Pierre?"

"Bobby, show him where the shower is."

A little later, wearing some borrowed clothes of Bobby's, Valencio was eating toast.

Jean-Pierre came back, and said, "He's at St. Briony's Private Hospital. Kerry says he has several fractures of the face, and will probably need plastic surgery. Also a few broken ribs. His life is not in danger."

Tasha put down her coffee, and said to Valencio, "At least he's still alive."

Valencio nodded, and said, "I can't run away. I'm in the middle of a film!"

"He hasn't told the police anything, and neither has Kerry. I'll go and see him a little later, and see what he says. I'll put it to him - no charge of assault, in return for no charge of rape."

"Can he talk?"

"His jaw is broken, but he can communicate. No brain damage, or any life-threatening injury. Kerry says he looks appalling."

"I was worried when I saw him at the party, but he kept right away from me. Only when Tod took me outside, he was there." He looked at Tasha, and said again, "I'm very sorry."

Tasha smiled at him forgivingly. "You warned him once that you were not entirely rational about certain things. He only has himself to blame."

Valencio said, "John told us a long time ago about drinks being spiked sometimes. I should have been more careful."

Tasha said, "Thank you, Jean-Pierre, for your help."

"It was at my house that you were drugged. It's the least I can do."

"It's going to be difficult to work with Kerry from now on. I didn't even know he was with Vojkovik."

Jean-Pierre nodded, "For a year or so now. He gives his young men a help up with their careers. They don't suffer from knowing him."

Bobby remarked dryly, "Depends how much it upsets them, that first time."

Jean-Pierre shrugged. "More toast, anyone?"

They decided it was prudent that Valencio stay until after Jean-Pierre saw the Cossack.

On his return, Jean-Pierre said, "We agreed. No charges. He said it was not rape, but I said that we had rock solid proof that Vince had drugs typically used for date-rape."

Valencio rose tiredly, "Thank you, Jean-Pierre. You've been a good friend."

Jean-Pierre said with humour, "I've been a bit tempted myself from time to time. Oddly, after seeing poor Pete, I don't feel tempted at all."

"Should I offer to pay his hospital bills or something?"

Tasha said, "Don't be silly."

Valencio was still not himself. Thoroughly upset, feeling guilty about hurting Vojkovik so badly, feeling more guilty that he'd wanted it, enjoyed it. Tasha was patient. Rumours were flying. Kerry Vane had not kept quiet. That the Cossack had had Vince McDonald, and in return, Vince had beaten him to a pulp. No charges were being laid. Schuster heard, and made a decision that whatever the surf conditions were, Vince would have a dawn swim on Monday. Get him straight back into acting, and no chance to dwell too much on the unfortunate incident.

Valencio seemed perfectly normal to Schuster Monday morning, as he assessed him. "A few slight bruises," he said. "Unimportant. No problem."

Valencio held out his hands, showing swollen and raw knuckles.

Schuster said, "No problem. They won't be shown, or not close enough to matter."

Valencio nodded, and when instructed, began his swim, making sure that the pier camera had a good view of face. He went further than normal, with a sudden desire to just keep swimming forever. But he told himself not to be silly. There was no point getting upset merely because another man had had him. What difference did it make? Maybe sixty or so when he was a boy, so now it was sixty-one. Unimportant.

He turned and started his swim back, not realizing how anxiously Schuster had been watching and waiting.

Schuster had him do some demanding scenes that day, even when he had to bring some forward. Get him involved, he thought. Make him forget himself.

It worked well, and even when there was a scene to do with Kerry, who played a junior priest, he only did the scene, as instructed, and waited for further direction.

Aside from work, Kerry kept well away from him, vividly remembering his berserk fury. He had a very nasty bruise on his own face, that Dani had had to conceal. Peter was a very large and strong man, but Vince had only a few slight bruises, and some of those were on his thighs, from where he'd tried to struggle away. If Kerry ever had the chance at him, he'd make sure to only have him when he was totally unconscious, and would never know who it had been. It would be nice that, he thought, as he caressed his bruised jaw. Look at him afterwards, knowing he'd been in him, and Vince himself, would not know.

Neil's report to Narzu-Han. '_Strong rumours that he may have been raped, and then nearly killed the one who did it. Yet he shows no signs of disturbance, and his work is as brilliant as ever. I think the rumours have no foundation. There were no physical signs that he'd been in a fight. His break from acting was previously planned, and there have been no changes.'_

Andrea's report to Narzu-Han. The repeated mention of various former medj slaves kept him interested, and he took pleasure in hearing their activities, even when Vince was absent. '_Ingrid and Adolfina have finished their first year of Veterinary Science. Eleven others have qualified for an Arts Degree. There are two new horses, called Jean-Pierre and Bobby.' _

Narzu-Han laughed when he read this. He knew where those names had come from. '_They had Picnic Races, and Bobby beat Sirius for a change, probably because I'm a better rider than the guest who had Sirius. There's an old ruined church, and apparently it's still consecrated ground, as an area close has been levelled and fenced, as a cemetery. I think one might be ill, and maybe wants to be buried there.'_

Narzu-Han asked Feena, "Can we get someone in place for July?"

"There's Betty, who's booked in for the second fortnight."

"Ask her if she can find out who's ill, if anyone."

"I still maintain it's an extravagance."

"Merely an indulgence. And we can afford it."

"What would Bellamy say?"

"He didn't say I couldn't watch, just that I should not interfere."

Narzu-Han turned back to the report, and remarked, "She says they cater for weddings routinely, even though the catering is not exceptional. One called Kaede does the ceremony often, and also helps at Bogridge school."

They'd had 'school' in the enclosures, and Narzu-Han remembered Kaede. She must be getting old now, no older than himself, he supposed, but Narzu-Han was ageing more slowly than normal. Maybe it was Kaede who was dying.

Feena, like Galina, knew that the medj of Loch Lomand were ones whom the great wizard had rescued from the Khatabis of Morocco. She still didn't know how Narzu-Han was involved, and thought it best not to ask.

Narzu-Han had no intention of telling her. Turkey had not been a very civilized country, but their standards had been higher than that of Morocco. He'd done some terrible things, he thought now, and so had his family. It had taken him a very long time to acknowledge that fact.

Thursday, July 11th. Another demanding day. Schuster told Vince, "You're done now. Be back on the 27th, and be aware we might call you very early. We still don't have either a dead calm sea, or a very rough sea."

Valencio nodded, and smiled. "Tasha's looking forward to going to the premiere of Marriage Mart, but agrees to go home the morning afterward. And the party's to be very small."

"I hear Vojkovik's out of hospital."

Valencio nodded, and wondered just how much was common knowledge. He hadn't spoken of it himself, except to Dean, in case his help was needed. And he knew Tasha hadn't. Both Jean-Pierre and Bobby were still friendly, to his relief. He very much valued the friendship of both of them.

_xchapter endsx_


	35. Chapter 35

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 35:_

Loch Lomand had become accustomed to welcoming returning travellers. Tasha and Valencio had a welcome, and were happy to be home.

Carol asked Valencio, "Planning on helping entertain guests this time, Vince?"

"In a few days. I need time to unwind."

Instead of 'unwinding,' Valencio became increasingly depressed. He inspected the tracks, looking for maintenance that needed doing. Inspected the horse paddocks, and spoke to the young horses growing up. Revenge's second foal was being broken in by Thierry, who had a real knack with the horses, and was light enough to ride the small pony.

It would have helped if there had been more work to do, but Carol routinely employed backpackers now, who did a lot of the things that Valencio had done. He didn't put on the yellow vest. He thought he was too tired to talk to guests. But it was not fatigue, just the continuing irrational shame of a rape victim. He tried to conceal his low mood from Tasha, but failed. She knew him too well.

Just a few days after their return, Carol said, "Marriage Mart's opening in Duich this week. We could make it a day out for our guests. Will you come, Vince? They'd love that."

Valencio said, "I'd rather you didn't."

"They all know about it anyway."

Emma said, "Evita says it was wonderful. That she hadn't quite realized how much she'd become involved, just watching it."

Valencio shook his head, and Tasha said calmly, "Maybe after we're gone."

Carol was looking at Valencio narrow-eyed, "You're looking tired."

Valencio said, "Just a bit," and got up and started help tidy away.

Carol looked questioningly at Tasha, but Tasha only said, "It's a very demanding role that he's involved in. That's why the break. Schuster said he had to recover his energies."

There was something else that depressed Valencio. Clarence was dying of lung cancer. To them all, it seemed so unfair. A prisoner since he was eleven, just five years of freedom, and now he was to die. And why lung cancer? He'd never smoked in his life, had not been exposed to pollution of the atmosphere. Lung cancer! The medj doctor in Bogridge spoke of chemotherapy, which might give him a few more months. The healer spoke only of ensuring freedom from pain and an easy death. Clarence decided to accept the help of the wizard healer.

He asked Valencio to help him go to the apple orchard, using one of the ponies. He wanted to see the chapel and the new portion of cemetery.

Valencio asked, "You're strong enough?"

Clarence nodded, and said, "Now?"

"I'll saddle a pony."

Only a few minutes later, Valencio led Ruby to the front door, and Bernice opened the door for him. Valencio almost lifted Clarence onto the back of the gentle mare, shocked at how thin and weak he was already. He said doubtfully, "Alright?"

Clarence said, "Fine," and when Bernice asked if he wanted her as well, he declined. He wanted just Valencio this time. For so long, it had been just himself and the boy, the only male prisoners.

Valencio went to Ruby's head and started walking. Three dogs walked behind, Shona, and two dogs that belonged to Inge and Evita, now looked after by Bernice and Clarence.

It was an easy route to the apple orchard, though thorny bushes grew on each side, some of them with edible berries in season. The apple trees were in full leaf, and the day was sunny. They stopped at the half walls that marked the old chapel.

Clarence said, "Bernice told me that Dot waved her wand at the rose bush the other day, in order to make more flowers."

Valencio said, "I love the colour, a cross between yellow and apricot."

"It's called Climbing Peace. They thought it appropriate."

"I'm surprised they let us make a cemetery here."

"It was not really still consecrated ground. Dot organized it." He glanced down at Valencio, and pointed to a garden seat. "Help me down? I want to sit for a while."

The seat had a high back, and for a moment, Clarence lay back his head, tired. Valencio waited, beginning himself to feel the peace of this place.

Clarence said, "We've been so happy here, the last few years. Bernice was always terrified of going to hell." He smiled wryly. "Our childhood conditioning is so powerful. It was because she had sex outside of marriage, because after too many times of being punished, she gave in and was obedient. She's an atheist now. As far as I know, we all are."

"We have the privilege of a burial now. I doubt if they bothered burying any slaves."

"They usually pretended they did. But I think you're right."

For a while, they were quiet. Clarence lay back his head again, and remarked, "I can smell the roses."

Valencio said, "I love the summer here. Such a gentle warmth, not searing hot."

"And it rains, summer or not. A gentle rain."

"I used to dream sometimes, when it was too hard. A place of mountains and forests, and continuous rain and mist."

Clarence said, "You helped us, you know. Whenever you were rude to them, it made it easier for the rest of us. When you hurt one, we loved you for it, though no-one was brave enough to attack them but you."

Valencio said, "Not brave. Very silly."

"Maybe, but I wish I'd fought so hard. But I wasn't special to them like you were. I would just have been killed." He sighed, "They beat me, you see, Valencio. I did my best for years, but they finally broke me. It was after the fever cull, and every one of the survivors in Enclosure 2 was being punished with the Spell of Pain, every day. I was never the same after that. Always frightened. A coward. If one appeared even now, I wouldn't try and fight - just run and cry, maybe."

Valencio said, very soberly, "We all bear scars. Some don't show it much. The ones who're still shy, or frightened, the ones who will never enjoy sex." And Tasha, who needed to be important.

Clarence waited, and Valencio finally spoke, in a very low voice. "And me, whom they made enjoy it, when I would rather have been dead."

Clarence said calmly, "I thought it had to be that. If that hadn't happened, probably Narzu-Han would have quickly lost interest, and you would have been put back into general use until you were destroyed."

"I suppose. It saved my life, I guess. For a while, anyway. But now, I'm so frightened..."

"Was there something happen?"

"He had to drug me, so he could get close enough. But then I wanted it, and afterwards, I hurt him very badly. I'm frightened to go back, but I'm a professional actor, and a professional actor does not break a contract."

After a long silence, Clarence repeated, "We all bear scars," and Valencio helped him back onto Ruby, and they walked slowly back to the castle that was home. There may not have been any profound words of wisdom or consolation, but they both felt more peaceful for the visit to the ruined chapel.

_xdividerx_

Kane pointed out Vince to his friend, Adam, the next day, and said, disappointed, "He's still not wearing the yellow vest. That means we're not supposed to talk to him."

Valencio was walking, hands in his pockets, Shona at his heels, though Shona was beginning to think she must be really Mary's dog these days, as her own humans were so often away.

Valencio disappeared into the trees, and found himself on the Pamela Track. So many names of victims. And they were victims too. How many years had they deprived Clarence of?

Kane and Adam gave way to temptation the following morning, and went and spoke to him anyway, as he leaned against the fence of Bluey's Paddock. Kane said, "The white horse is called Pirate Captain, after your movie."

Adam added, "And the young bay colt is called Oscar, because you won one."

Valencio turned to them, "I didn't notice you were here."

"For a whole month."

Adam said, "My Mum's here as well. She's married again, so I've got almost a father."

"Do you like him?"

"A lot better than one of Mum's previous boyfriends."

Kane said, "You remember Chris, who's a school teacher? He's here again, and I think my Mum might be going to marry him."

"I remember Chris. He was there the day we explored the apple orchard."

Kane said, "Clarence told me that there might be a cave on the slope across from the Adam Track. That he remembered Inge telling him once."

"The young ones explored every inch of the place when we first arrived. They know it better than anyone."

"Is Inge a film star as well?"

"She's in Hollywood, but wants to direct. She says she's not very good at acting, but loves the whole thing of making movies."

"Do you love it?"

Valencio answered, "Making a story come to life, it's what I love to do." He nodded, almost to himself, and said, "I love it. Nothing else gives such pure satisfaction."

"Why were you looking sad, then?"

"Was I looking sad?"

Kane nodded. He thought Vince had been looking very sad.

Valencio asked, "Do you want to go exploring again? See if we can find Inge's cave?"

Kane beamed.

Valencio checked his watch, and said, "Today? Now? Ask your parents, ask Chris if he wants to come as well if you like, and I'll organize a picnic lunch."

Kane said briefly, "Stay here. I know where they are," and they both ran.

Valencio turned back to the horses. None of the young ones looked very special - though a handy size for children. Emanuelle's two year old looked identical to her Mum. He ducked under the railings of the paddock and was leading Emanuelle through the gate even before the boys raced back, Chris following, a little slower, another man with him.

Adam said, "Can David come as well?"

"If he wants," and was introduced. He said, "We'll take the Fell ponies, as they're sure-footed and placid, but we might have to mostly walk, maybe even crawl." He smiled at the men, suddenly feeling very cheerful, "Still want to come?"

Bernice was pleased when a panting boy knocked at the kitchen door, and asked if they could have a picnic lunch for five, because Vince was taking them exploring. She was a lady shortly to be widowed, and still had the compassion to see Valencio's depression, hopeful at the sign that it might be lifting. Clarence had been very tired after the ride to the apple orchard, but it had done him good.

Bernice didn't delegate, just started making sandwiches, and packing picnic hampers. With a sudden thought, she packed several freshly made date scones. Valencio was a sucker for date scones.

Meantime, Valencio was saddling ponies, helped by Chris, though David had little idea, and admitted that he couldn't ride. Valencio said, "We'll only be walking, probably not even going far. We're looking for a cave that's supposed to be somewhere above the old apple orchard."

"The boys are thrilled."

Valencio grinned, and said, "So am I. I needed something different to do."

Chris said, "The women thought Marriage Mart a great movie."

David said critically, "Not enough real action. A girl movie. Sandra sniffled through most of it, and kept talking about the poor bride, and the wicked viscount."

"Well, she must have been pleased when the wicked viscount wound up in a wheelchair."

David laughed, "She cried even harder then."

"Is your current one an action movie?"

"Not really. You won't like this one, either."

"I didn't say I didn't like it. Just not my usual cup of tea."

"How's it going?"

Valencio stopped a moment, from his job organizing Clara to carry packs, and looked into the distance. It was a great movie, he thought. But how would the audience react? He laughed, and turned to David. "Watch it only at home, and provide Sandra with a full box of tissues, and maybe some chocolates for comfort. This one's a tragedy."

"Will it be your third Oscar, this one?"

Valencio looked at him in apparent surprise, and said, "I've only done three movies. One Oscar, that's all."

"Why don't you do an action movie?"

"The wrong looks. Men who look like Nick Kingsley get those roles."

David nodded, "I suppose that'd be right. You don't exactly look dangerous."

Valencio laughed, but didn't tell him that only a fortnight before, he'd put a man in hospital. He said, "We'll go to a place I know where we can leave the ponies, and then explore on foot. I reckon I know where the cave is likely to be."

He led out, turned in his saddle, and said, "This is just the perimeter track. Quite well marked, and a good gallop, but only in some places."

"The fence is falling down."

"As long as it marks the boundary. There's no stock to worry about here, and next door is crown land. Nothing but deer, foxes and rabbits."

The track was climbing, and the men dismounted and walked.

After another quarter of an hour, Valencio turned off, and called, "Adam, Kane, lead your ponies here, and mind your step."

He led them onto a spur, "We'll leave the ponies here. Just run up the stirrups, knot the reins so they don't drag, and cross your fingers they don't decide to go home."

Adam said, "What if Clara goes home with our lunches?"

"I'll take her pack baskets off, but I really don't think they'll wander off." Clara started to graze.

Valencio found some binoculars, then went to the edge of the spur, and just looked.

Kane said eagerly, "Do you think we might find a god or a skeleton, or something else exciting?"

"Probably just a bit of a hole in the cliff, but you never know."

Chris said, "It's a steep slope to be scrambling around on."

Kane pointed, "There's a deer track."

Valencio nodded. "We'll start by following that, see where it leads us."

The boys were eleven, active and energetic. The men were more cautious, but both followed. At last, they came to a small and shallow hole in the cliff.

"Is this all?" asked Kane, disappointed.

Chris remarked, "Looks like it's a favourite shelter for deer, from the droppings."

David smiled, and said, "Not deer. Badgers. I'm sure of it. It's a badger sett."

Valencio said, surprised, "I didn't know we had badgers!"

"People seldom do. They're nocturnal. If it wasn't so difficult to get to, you could make badger watching another of your entertainments."

There was a call from Adam, "Here's a better cave."

They followed him, David suddenly skidding, but grabbed by Chris. "I wouldn't have fallen far," he remarked, "Probably just brained myself on one of the trees."

Valencio said, "Please don't! Carol would be furious with me."

The boys explored the shallow cave, and Chris asked, "Are you going to make another ride to the caves?"

Valencio shook his head. "They're not exactly spectacular, and there's not even an open area to sit around and have a cup of tea."

Kane said philosophically, "I guess a lot of explorations don't actually find anything interesting."

"What now?"

Valencio consulted his watch. "What do you think?"

"Could we make our way down to the apple orchard? Have lunch there?"

"Too steep for the ponies, I think."

"Too steep for me, I think," added David.

Valencio said, "Sorry, boys, but we can continue along the perimeter track, and come home by the Ridge Road, if you like."

The following morning, Valencio whistled as he put on his yellow vest, and went to breakfast with the guests.

Betty said, "We've missed you, Vince."

Valencio smiled at the woman whom he'd seen a few times, "I've only been home a week, just a brief break in work."

When he'd provided himself with a tray from the breakfast bar, she patted the seat beside her, invitingly. Like Andrea, she saw not the slightest reason why she shouldn't be close to the subject of her enquiries. Besides, she liked Vince. She made the most of her opportunity, and said, "Gloria says I can ride Rosamund in the pairs at Glen Riddle gymkhana. Will you be my partner on Juanita?"

Valencio laughed, "We don't exactly look like a pair."

"Yes, but think how I could boast about it afterwards?"

Valencio grinned, and asked, "Did you want me to wear an eye-patch or something?"

Betty beamed, 'Would you?"

Valencio was definite, "No."

Betty said coaxingly, "You could ride with me, though."

"I guess."

Gloria laughed when they went together to ask, but said, "The horses are beautiful. Even totally mismatched, you might wind up with a ribbon."

Valencio said, "Aren't you forgetting I can't ride show work?"

Gloria said firmly, "Report to Helene who'll check what you're wearing, then practice every morning, ten o'clock."

Rosamund and Juanita were the two black Andalusians that Helena and Paul had presented to Loch Lomand. There were already some rosettes above each of their saddle racks. It had become the custom that guests left their rosettes pinned to the wall, though there were always some who wanted to take them home. There were a few cups as well.

Betty was a poor rider, and Valencio not exactly schooled. The horses were well trained, however, and the two presented themselves to where Tiffany was instructing. Three other pairs were competing, including Kane and Adam on a pair of greys, and Carrie on one of the spotted ponies, with Margaret as her partner. Margaret was one of those who'd just completed her Arts degree, and was quite undecided as to what she might want to do next. Meantime, she helped with the horses, the cleaning, occasionally the cooking. There was always plenty to do with fifty guests, and around thirty residents.

Betty's next report to Narzu-Han included a large coloured photograph of Vince and herself riding the two high quality mares. Each wore a bright red scarf around their neck, but there was nothing else about them that matched, except the horses. Her report. '_He's lovely. Happy and cheerful. Eager to return to work. According to Gloria, we cantered in the circle, both of us on the wrong leg, but I don't know what that means, and I don't think Vince did, either. Two eleven-year-old boys were with him constantly, and they were having a wonderful time_.'

It went on, and Narzu-Han read with interest, even things like Evita Bacri being spotted, who was in the TV series, _Interesting Times._ He liked to think that his family had not permanently damaged their slaves. He concluded that the rumours that Vince had been raped by the actor known as the Cossack, could not have had any foundation. He was relieved. If he intervened to protect his boy, John Bellamy would be angry. Anyway, Valencio knew he could call Bellamy, and he would come. There was no talk of anyone being ill.

Ten minutes after Valencio and Tasha entered their apartment in Hollywood, early afternoon, the phone rang. Tasha answered. Storm at sea, a very rough surf. Conditions were ideal, even though it wasn't dawn. Vince was to be ready to be picked up within a half hour, while Schuster organized everything.

"Who's coming to pick him up?" Tasha asked.

"Ronny or Jorg. Or Dave, if they're not available."

Tasha said, "Just checking. You know he has to be careful."

Schuster said impatiently, "The Cossack's fine. No reason to think Vince is in any danger, from him or anyone else."

The one who'd been phoning every quarter hour all day, raised his eyebrows. So the rumours were true!

Not long later, Valencio was regarding the enormous waves pounding the beach, and said, "I have to go swimming in that?"

Schuster said, "You walk out on the pier, then jump in, get yourself near the camera, and struggle to shore."

Valencio ran a hand over hair, cut short for the movie, and observed, "It's going to be a _bloody_ struggle!"

"There's two lifeboats ready in case you get into real difficulties. And Bill will do a fair part of the swimming."

Valencio glanced at Bill, and remarked, "I don't actually want Bill to drown, either."

The head cameraman, Norm, said to Schuster, "It does look dangerous."

Bill had his eyes narrowed, looking at the surf. He said, "What we need is some way to say that we're really in trouble, not just acting."

Valencio said, "I agree. We could be sucked under and never seen again."

Bill remarked to Valencio, "You won't have to do any acting. Anyone out in that is going to be dead scared!"

Schuster was finally beginning to listen. He turned to the professional. "Bill, how do you think we should do it then?"

Bill said, "Give me a moment. I'll just go out on the pier and have a closer look."

Schuster said, "Norm, get some footage. I suppose if we have to, we can add the actor later."

Valencio walked with Bill, out to the end of the pier. He said doubtfully, "I can see it'll be very effective..."

"Schuster gets carried away. If we lose the main actor, there's no film."

"And if we lose you, your wife'll kill Schuster, and there's no film!"

Bill laughed. Stunt men were brave men, but they were not fools, and this was just too dangerous.

Valencio said, "If I do it, if there's an ankle cuff and a rope to a boat, they'll be able to haul me back to the boat if I disappear."

Bill said, "I'm the stunt man."

"It has to be my face. There's really not much point you going in as well. I'll tell Schuster, though. One take, no more!"

It was decided, though Valencio looked a little doubtfully at the leather strap buckled around his ankle. He shrugged. There was no magical seal, and it was only a safeguard. The boat was moving violently, and he frowned, and asked, "What if the boat founders?"

The boat handler said confidently, "We've practised in worse conditions. The boat won't founder. And can I have your autograph?"

Valencio said casually, "Sorry. I never give autographs."

"If I save your life?"

"I could make an exception then."

He was shivering. California or not, it was a cold day, and he only wore swimmers.

Before leaving the boat, he felt again that the ankle cuff could be undone, if needed. What if the boat foundered?

The boat pushed off, and Schuster stood on the pier next to the cameras, and pointed, further out to sea. The boat was steered a little further out to sea. It was a long swim to shore. He was going to arrive exhausted. He looked back at Schuster, who waved the okay.

Valencio slipped into the sea, helped by one of the seamen, held the edge of the boat a moment, and took his bearings. He'd have to make sure and look at the camera. The rope dragged at his ankle. The boat would follow him closely, but not too closely. The other boat had a cameraman with another camera, but only hand held. Unlikely it would provide usable footage, though maybe brief glimpses. Sometimes that was all it took. Schuster rode in that boat.

Valencio started swimming, remembering to look back at the camera on the end of the pier. The water sodden rope sagged in the water. It had not been a good plan. A matter of endurance merely, Valencio thought, and continued ploughing slowly towards shore.

He'd thought it would be difficult. He hadn't thought it would be quite so difficult. The rope was so heavy, and he didn't want to die with a manacle on. He trod water, and tiredly unstrapped the ankle cuff. That was better, and he resumed the slow progression towards the beach where the waves pounded.

From not far away, the boats tried to stay on station, one not far behind him, one beside him.

He crawled ashore, drooping. What did he have to do next? It must have been Adil, who'd been beating him. He had to pretend he wasn't hurt. He hated the women seeing that he'd been hurt.

He rose to his feet, tried to walk with dignity, tried to pretend that nothing had happened. He went down on his knee, rose and continued walking. Another fall, and again, he pulled himself erect, looked blindly straight ahead, and continued walking.

Norm mouthed, "Keep filming."

Valencio stopped, looked uncertainly around, and collapsed. The camera held on him, and then slowly panned over the angry sea again. The boats could be edited out.

When Schuster finally gave the word, Valencio was pulled up and a blanket wrapped around him. After a while, his shivering subsided, and he said to Schuster, "If you say anything about a second take, I'm going straight home."

Schuster smiled, very slightly, "I think that might do us today."

"Don't send Bill in. It's too much."

"I made a mistake. I won't send Bill in."

Valencio nodded, and pulled the blanket tighter around himself.

For the next week, it was plain sailing. Bill had a few swims, but would only swim a short way when it was rough, and then a boat would pick him up. Schuster had learned his lesson. Vince's exhaustion and faint had not been feigned. He liked it that each time he'd fallen down, he'd risen again, persevering, not giving up. Except the last, and Norm had guessed what he wanted, and had continued filming. Very effective. Allegorical. The courage that would take the young cardinal almost to the top, but then to be destroyed. As Valencio had told David, this was a tragedy.

Most of the footage showing the dawn swims was wasted. To be consistent, the swim had to be late afternoon, now. But Bill was doing a lot of that, as the heavy seas began to subside. There still needed entry into a dead calm sea, and also what happened after his collapse. Schuster was still pondering that problem.

The acting began to be more demanding. Quite often, the trainees watched, quietly inconspicuous. No-one interrupted the actors' concentration. After a few weeks, Valencio began to look a little thinner.

Schuster observed, and was quietly pleased. It was one of the benefits of filming in chronological order as much as possible. By the end of the movie, if the cardinal looked discernibly thin, that was good. The day when the sea was very calm finally arrived, and three times, Valencio walked, relaxed, down to the water's edge, and started swimming out to sea.

Schuster spent an evening reviewing all the film of the swims, and was satisfied. He had enough to make the scene that he envisaged, even if he had had to sacrifice the rising sun. Maybe it had been a bit trite, after all.

No-one bothered Valencio any more, and the escorts he usually had began to seem unnecessary. The altered features of the Cossack were a very effective warning. Valencio became more relaxed about using the gymnasium after a day's work, as well as the swimming pool, finding a little mindless, muscle-stretching exercise to be a good way to unwind.

A month after his return to Hollywood, seven weeks after Jean-Pierre's party, he sat at a table, drink in hand, next to the swimming pool. With him were Dave, Ronny, and Romano. Valencio was relaxing, leaning back in his chair, bare feet up on another, listening to Dave's talk of one of the trainees he fancied. He'd been swimming, as had the others, and none of them were yet dressed, though Romano had a towel over his shoulders.

Romano looked around, and there was a sudden silence. Valencio looked up, slowly put his feet down, and stood.

The Cossack said quietly, "Hello, Vince."

Valencio nodded warily.

Peter asked, "Can I talk to you in private?"

Valencio hesitated, and then walked to another table, where Vojkovik joined him.

"You look different," Valencio observed.

Vojkovik said, "My agent approves. He says the battered look guarantees me as much work as I want."

"No plastic surgery then?"

"No plastic surgery."

"What did you want to say?"

The Cossack shook his head, "I'm not quite sure what I wanted to say." His eyes wandered over Valencio's body, and he shook his head, "I might have paid a price, but I can't quite regret it. It was special for me."

Valencio stood abruptly, and returned to the others, leaving Peter Vojkovik, who hesitated, and then left. Valencio looked after him, and shivered. He could feel the big man's desire for him, and it frightened him. It made him want, as well.

Romano said casually, "All you have to do is watch your drinks if you go to parties. You're in no danger."

Valencio said, "The big scene with Nick tomorrow. How are you going to play it?"

The discussion went into technicalities then, which Dave listened to with respect.

Valencio finally said, "I've got the morning off tomorrow, but I might come in and watch, I think."

Ronny said, "Come for you as usual?"

"Please. I very much appreciate it. Ten o'clock, maybe, as I don't have to get dressed or anything."

"It's an easy job."

Tasha was back late that day, after going to an opera with Stuart. For the first time, she'd been alone with him. For the first time, she understood she was being pursued. She hadn't liked the opera; thought it seemed quite silly in fact. But she very much liked the atmosphere, and the feeling of being a part of a sophisticated audience.

Afterwards, Stuart took her to a French restaurant, a little surprised that she could speak French so easily. Maybe she was not such an ignorant country woman after all. He'd never thought she was stupid, just surprisingly poorly educated. But she was beautiful, with the mature beauty of a full blown rose.

Tasha was very quiet that night, and turned away when Valencio started caressing. Somehow she didn't feel like making love with her husband.

Neil's next report to Narzu-Han, '_He's acting brilliantly. Sometimes, it seems he doesn't even do anything. And yet, it has enormous impact. This film will win awards.'_

It was a little difficult to think of anything funny to put in these days. Valencio was concentrating totally, ending each day exhausted, just using the swimming pool and the gymnasium for a while, and being escorted home.

Tasha felt very guilty the first time she was lured into bed with Stuart. Stuart was triumphant. The wife of a film star, who had no idea he'd been cuckolded. She enjoyed it too. Loved it. Luckily there were excellent medications these days. He didn't have the virility of a younger man. He'd have her for a few months, he thought. Let the rumours spread. That Stuart Dorner could still seduce a woman away from her husband.

Two weeks went by. Valencio had a Sunday off, mostly as Schuster was afraid he might just collapse if he continued without a break. Keeping up the tempo was all very well, but it had to have limits.

Valencio smiled at his wife, and said, "A whole day off. What do you want to do?"

Tasha looked away from him, and said, "I've accepted an invitation. Just girls, visiting an Art Gallery and luncheon afterwards."

Valencio looked at her, and said, questioningly, tentatively, "Tasha?"

Tasha stared at the table in front of her.

Valencio stared down as well. Slowly, he asked, "What's his name?"

"Stuart Dorner."

"You've been on his yacht, but always groups, you said."

Tasha nodded. "That's what it was for a long time."

Valencio sighed, "We're babes in the wood, here. Both of us. Prey."

Tasha said, "He loves me."

Valencio asked, "Does he really love you?" Bitterly, "Does anyone genuinely love in this foul city?"

Tasha was abruptly angry. "He loves me, and he wants me to move in with him, and I am!"

Valencio said slowly, painfully, "How about you just wait a while. Have sex with him if you want, but please, Tash, stay with me?"

"I can't. It would not be honest."

Valencio was pleading, "I don't care about honest. I don't care if you have sex with him. But Tash, I can't bear to lose you."

Tasha rose, and said distantly, "It's why I want him. He's sophisticated, and always knows what to do. And he's strong. He's never frightened, or weak. I can rely on him. Whereas you... I cannot rely on you."

She had used the one argument that stopped Valencio's protests. He was weak. He could not protect Tasha, had never been able to protect any of the women. He didn't deserve her.

Tasha decided abruptly that she had to make the break quick and clean. She didn't want to hurt Valencio. She loved Valencio. It was just that she wanted someone to be like a protective father. Like her own father should have been. Her own father who'd not protected her, and didn't even want to know her now she was free. She said with an artificial calm, "You should go out for the day. When you return, I'll have moved out."

Without a word, Valencio rose, pushed his wallet into his pocket, and walked out.

He was still walking three hours later, his face bleak. There were a few sidelong glances, but Son of Satan was a while back now, Aegean Romance had not made a splash, and while Marriage Mart was bigger than expected, it was very English. No-one approached him or tried to molest him.

Meantime, Stuart Dorner concealed his surprise, and hospitably opened his door to Tasha. Maybe it would be quite nice for a month or two. Maybe a cruise, not his own yacht, but a luxury cruise ship. Tasha would like that, and it would be a very public humiliation for McDonald if it was known that his wife was away with someone else. They would have a suite each, and that way, he could continue to enjoy other women if he wanted. It could include Thailand, where the girls were so well trained. Thank goodness for REF injections. No fear of venereal infections in this day and age. He'd make arrangements the following day, and they'd leave as soon as possible. Stuart Dorner was a very rich man, without any work to hinder his plans.

Monday, Jorg rang the doorbell as usual, as he called to pick up Vince.

Vince smiled, and thanked him. They looked after him so well.

Jorg was not surprised that he looked tired and strained. Schuster was working him far too hard. He asked, "Pick up Inge?"

"That would be great."

Hollywood had hurt him, had hurt Tasha, he hoped very much that it was not hurting Inge. No good suggesting she go home and marry Paul. Stay where she'd be safe. He supposed even Loch Lomand didn't make a person really safe from heartbreak. Poor Bernice. Clarence was still alive, not in pain, just slowly, gradually weakening. It was unlikely he could even go home for the funeral, though Inge hoped to.

Valencio listened closely, as he always did, as Schuster explained what was needed for the day's acting. He was well into the last part of the film now, the part where a unique man fought against his destruction. He became Cardinal Richelieu. It was easier than being the man who was so weak he could not hold his wife.

Valencio didn't tell anyone that Tasha had left him. He mentioned to Inge that she was spending a few weeks travelling... But Stuart Dorner boasted, and word spread quickly. Inge gave Valencio a quick hug Friday afternoon, and said, "She'll come back. I know she will."

But Valencio only looked at her, his eyes suddenly wet, and then said a hurried goodbye.

Ronny touched his arm, and said, "Home now, Vince?"

Valencio nodded. "Home." And in the little, empty apartment, he stared at the television, not knowing what he was watching. Instead, he used his escape. Thinking about the cardinal. Thinking about the developments that he needed to show from day to day.

There was a short note from Tasha at the end of the second week. A six month cruise on the French-Canadian ship, _Belle Chartreusie,_ leaving Saturday. Valencio cried then, sobbing a long time into the night.

_xchapter endsx_


	36. Chapter 36

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 36:_

Word came when Clarence died. '_It was a potion at the end_, Bernice wrote. _He was too weak, and it was enough. So he took the potion that the healer left for him, and he died in my arms. Peacefully, painlessly. John was here, and he helped me prepare the body for burial. He said he'd done it a few times, for women he'd loved. Kaede said some words, and he was buried where he wanted to be buried. One day, I'll lie beside him.'_

There was more from Emma. '_John made more flowers come. There were no guests allowed, not even Gary or John, just as many of us as could be there. Bernice said that he died free. That he should have had a lot more years, but it wasn't so bad. He died free, and they'd long since given up hope of ever being free. It was sunny, though autumn now, and the trees are laden with apples. It was a good season for them.'_

Clarence was gone, and would not come back. Tasha was also gone, and the death of Clarence somehow made Valencio believe that it, too, was forever. He didn't hope. It was his own fault, for being too weak.

Neil's report to Narzu-Han. '_His wife has left him, and he seems tired and sad. Yet his acting remains brilliant. He hasn't missed any days, and he doesn't forget lines. There has been no talk of any other women. Most days, straight after work, he swims for a while, and does a bit in the gymnasium, as he gets so little physical activity during the day, he says, and needs it. As far as I know, he just gets escorted home, and picked up in the morning. Peter Vojkovik is around, but doesn't go near him.'_

Betty's report. '_One called Clarence Williamson died. There was a funeral, and there must have been over seventy 'club members' appear. They asked that guests stay away from the chapel area for that time, and Gary, who's married to Mary, acted as host, though he never does normally. John Bellamy was here, though I only caught a glimpse a couple of times. Waldo, who's a temporary employee, ran a tennis tournament, keeping guests amused. They say probably at least another six weeks before Vince finishes the film.'_

A fortnight later, mid-October, Schuster asked Valencio abruptly how much weight he'd lost. Valencio replied that he didn't know. Schuster told him to take off his shirt, and studied him. He grunted in the end, apparently displeased, and said that he was to weigh himself, and from then on, keep a check. There were scales in the gymnasium, he thought.

Valencio nodded. He knew he was getting too thin, but didn't think it mattered very much. His face might look a little thinner, but his body was not on display.

That day, the cardinal fought off an attempt to murder him, and afterwards spoke to his God, in the Chapel set. He was losing the battle.

Schuster gave his thin smile, and said all the actors were finished for the day. "That was good," he added to Valencio, as an afterthought.

Valencio was wrung out, feeling emotionally raw, bruised. He nodded slightly, wearily, still sitting with his head down.

Lorae, who looked after costumes, said sympathetically, "Come on, Vince. We have to look after the silks."

Ronny said, "Swim, once you're changed?"

Dave said, "I'll join you."

Romano looked up, and said, "I will, as well."

Valencio smiled at his friends. He was poor company these days, and appreciated having friends stay close anyway.

For almost an hour, he swam methodically, just up and down the pool. Dave swam for a while, as well, but Ronny and Romano only provided themselves with drinks from the nearby bar, and talked. At last, Valencio pulled himself from the pool, and went to change, not wanting any comments on the way that ribs showed.

There was a drink waiting for him on his return, but of course, he was with friends. This drink would be just beer.

Romano remarked, "The priests have to kiss my feet tomorrow."

Valencio laughed, and said, "Dave and Kerry and the rest are going to love that!"

He was still acting a little. He didn't feel like laughing, but didn't want his friends to leave him alone. He was so alone.

Poor Vince seemed happy to be just where he was, and the other three indulged him, talking about the movies in progress, that subject of never-ending interest to all of them.

"Nick's signed up for a Western," commented Romano.

Valencio said, "A Western would be fun!"

"Ever practised gun-slinging?"

"I've never handled a gun." But he grinned ruefully, "They'd never cast me as a cowboy. The best I could hope for is either a role as an extra, or maybe a masked gunslinger." He added, "That could be interesting. Jean-Pierre told me that every actor should play the baddie now and then."

Dave said, "I've played the baddie in three films, now. But in the first two, I got killed early in the film. Just five minutes into the movie, the first time."

Romano asked Valencio, "How's Inge going?"

"Just a few weeks to go. She's planning on talking to Schuster, as he suggested a while back. But he's probably forgotten, and probably didn't mean anything anyway."

Romano said, "He might have done. He acts as mentor now and then. Ashley's not the first."

"Does he demand sex in return?"

"Not Schuster," Romano said. "Not everyone does."

"That's good. Inge's not really a respecter of persons. Anyone demanding sex from Inge will be sorry."

"So what if she can't get a start?"

"I've got lots of money now. Maybe I could give her enough to make her own movies. She could start that way."

The others talked on, but Valencio became silent again, morose. Inge would be better going home to Paul. He hadn't heard that Paul was now married, a local lass already pregnant. He sighed heavily, and looked into his almost untouched beer. He'd almost forgotten that he was not alone.

He felt his presence first, and felt his overwhelming desire for him, even before he looked up and saw him standing there. Peter Vojkovic wanted him, and Valencio reacted to that desire he could feel. He wanted too, urgently, overwhelmingly.

The others looked around, not understanding what was happening. Not everyone could feel thoughts. Valencio couldn't normally feel thoughts, but this...

The Cossack didn't even glance at the others. He merely said, "Valencio, come with me now."

Valencio put down his beer, and started walking to him.

Ronny called urgently, "Vince! Think what you're doing!"

Valencio hesitated, but his eyes were still held by those of the Cossack. Vojkovik said again, "Valencio, come with me now."

Valencio walked to him, and Vojkovic put an arm around his shoulders, and they walked away together.

Ronny said uncertainly, "Should I try and stop him?"

Dave said, just as uncertainly, "He's a free man."

"It was like he was hypnotized."

Romano observed, "Well, one way or another, I'd say that Vince's acting tomorrow's going to be wrecked."

"I hope he doesn't murder him when he wakes up to himself."

"Did you notice? He called him Valencio."

Vojkovik continued to call him Valencio. Whether it was because of the name he associated with slavery, or because of the acute desire between them, Valencio was stupidly passive.

Vojkovic's chauffeur drove them to his home, Vojkovic took Valencio straight to his upstairs bedroom, and then embraced, feeling him as hard as he was himself. Vojkovic started undressing him. Valencio made not the slightest move to either assist, or resist. He was obedient when he was told to get into bed, and just waited, lying on his back as Vojkovic quickly stripped, and joined him. Vojkovic was speaking to him lovingly, brokenly. He'd wanted it so long. He caressed, and admired, and stroked the erect penis.

Valencio stared at him, only moaning once, slightly, as Peter ran a tongue along the length of his penis.

"Turn onto your side, Valencio," instructed the Cossack. Valencio turned onto his side.

Vojkovic caressed again, scarcely believing that he was here. He turned away for a moment, looking for lubricant. He had a small dildo as well. He must not physically hurt. He was too big for carelessness.

Valencio just waited, as Peter carefully, gently prepared his body for penetration, where it was not meant to be penetrated. Another gentle kiss. Peter knew he was ready.

"Turn onto your front, now, Valencio."

Valencio was still obedient. When in bed, and unrestrained, Arikiyo had always taken him prone. Narzu-Han too, mostly.

Valencio Durano turned himself prone, and the Cossack covered him, legs to the outside of Valencio's legs, his arms to the outside of Valencio's arms. He kissed his neck, and said, "I want you now. Let me..."

Valencio suddenly tried to fight off the Cossack, fight off his own stupid weakness.

Peter loved it. He'd wanted it, the struggle, and then the submission to a stronger man. He'd felt it a few times now. A good thing he hadn't tried to take him while merely lying on his side.

The submission came, and still Peter didn't hurry, just gently pressing his penis against the man beneath him, giving him time to relax muscles, giving him time to be ready. When he finally, gently, pushed in, there was little physical resistance.

Valencio moaned as he started to thrust, gently. Peter Vojkovik was a gentle lover, who knew that what he was doing, could damage. He always took great care not to damage.

The Cossack took his time, only pausing when he felt Valencio shudder beneath him in his climax, and then continuing. Valencio's desire mounted again, and he cried, _"Please...!"_

Vojkovic climaxed, and Valencio a second time.

Valencio lay still, relaxed in body, but that terrible, old shame rose within him. Peter withdrew, and pulled Valencio to him, cradling head on his chest. Would the man maybe kill him now? Instead, Valencio cried, great, shuddering sobs, as Peter held him, firmly, lovingly. The sobs finally died down, and after a while, Peter realized that he was asleep. He smiled, possessively. Valencio was his now, he knew.

He stared at the ceiling, suddenly remembering another young man who'd cried that way after the first time. He'd thought Raymond was his, too. And he had been - for three weeks. But then the boy had shot himself.

Tenderly, he caressed the wet face that lay on his shoulder. Poor Valencio, who'd been taken away as a child. Returned, but how stable was he? The overwhelming rage that other time, and now the prolonged, distressed crying. He'd have to keep him close, keep him comforted. The Cossack was feeling an unfamiliar sense of responsibility.

Valencio slept on, and after a while, Peter gently disengaged himself. He hadn't had dinner yet, and he was hungry. Falling in love had not affected his appetite.

He returned to his bedroom after a while, and just looked at the sleeping man in the dimmed light. He was in his mid thirties, when Peter usually liked eighteen-year-olds. He might have liked them even younger, but that wasn't legal. Valencio had been just twelve when he'd been taken. Presumably twelve when he'd had it for the first time. They must have taken care with him, or he would not have learned to like it. Yet there had been that whipping scene, when he'd gone to pieces. He'd been punished, obviously, at some stage. There were no physical scars. Maybe the punishment had not been severe.

Peter slipped into bed beside Valencio and started caressing again. Valencio was deep in sleep. He'd been sleeping badly ever since Tasha left. When the Cossack pushed him gently onto his front, he was still nearly asleep. He didn't resist, but didn't become excited, either. He was still tired, but thought he'd best go home now. Jorg would be coming to collect him in the morning for work.

The following morning, Valencio ignored the penetrating look that Schuster gave him, and only went to be robed and made up. Schuster had changed the order of takes a little, and there were easy ones to begin with, ones that could almost have been done with a stand-in. Valencio just did as he was told, exactly as normal.

Schuster shrugged, and asked, "Are you ready for the big scene, you and the pope?"

Valencio said, "I'm ready."

He knew how it needed to be played, though he listened closely to Schuster's instructions. He then forgot them, and produced a scene of such impact that Schuster assured himself that his next Best Director Award was on its way. Pity it wouldn't be in time for this year's nominations.

Mardi was watching with her half dozen trainees, including Inge. Mardi assured them that they would rarely see acting of such quality, and between takes, would try and explain some of the technical aspects.

Inge said once, "I don't think Vince even knows we're watching."

There was a short break for a scene change. Kerry Vane made a very quiet phone call. One more short scene, undemanding, and then Schuster said, "Done for the day."

Valencio rose from his chair, pushing aside the cumbersome silks of a cardinal's robes, and glanced around. He smiled at Inge, and crossed to the group. "You were watching?"

Mardi answered, "We were watching. I told them it would be one of the big movies of the decade."

Valencio said, "Just a few weeks to go, Schuster says."

Schuster joined the group, and said, "You're keeping Lorae waiting, Vince."

Valencio nodded, and went to change. Lorae took his robes, held them carefully over her arm, and went off with them.

Inge grabbed Valencio's arm as he emerged from his dressing room, and said, "The traineeship finishes in a week, and then Schuster says I can be unpaid assistant for the rest of the filming, and then for the editing."

Valencio smiled at her pleasure. Inge was strong. Inge would not be brought down by her past. Slowly, he turned to the right. Vojkovic waited for him. Ronny stood slightly in front of him, as if to shield Valencio from his influence. Ronny tried to speak compellingly. "We should have a swim for a while, Vince, and then I'll take you home."

Valencio looked past him at the Cossack, and then returned his gaze to Ronny, nodding. "Thank you, Ronny. A swim for a while."

The Cossack still waited, sitting at a separate table, as Valencio changed and swam.

Dave joined him in the pool again, but Ronny, shortly afterward, joined by Jorg, sat and waited.

Jorg said, "What do you think?"

"Whatever happened, he didn't seem too upset."

They were regarding Vojkovik with discernible hostility. Valencio was wondering what on earth to do. He'd given in. The Cossack had him now. He wasn't even going to try and resist. He finally pulled himself from the water, without a glance at Vojkovik, went and changed, and then joined Ronny, Jorg and Dave.

Without preliminaries, he said, "You tried to protect me, and did a very good job. I'm grateful. But it's no use any more. I'm going home with Peter."

Ronny asked, "Why, Vince?"

Valencio stared at the table, and finally, said, "Because I might be free now, but they left damage, and now I can't help myself."

He rose from the table, not looking at his friends, and went to the Cossack. The Cossack stood, put an arm around his shoulders, and they left together.

Valencio didn't resist that time. Vojkovik was as urgent as he'd been the previous evening, taking him prone again, waiting almost hopefully for the resistance that didn't come.

Afterwards, Valencio lay on his back, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He'd enjoyed it, but somehow, with his capitulation, the overwhelming excitement was gone. He laughed suddenly, and when Peter looked at him, questioningly, shook his head. Humans were so ridiculous, and sex was the most ridiculous of all.

Vojkovik said tenderly, "Will you have dinner with me?"

Valencio answered casually, "I've nothing better to do."

Kerry was gone, moved out the previous day. Peter found it hard to believe that Valencio was actually there, and was trying very hard to please. Working hard at amusing him, entertaining him, trying to overcome Valencio's distance. He still spoke to him, caressingly, as Valencio, ignoring Valencio's request to call him Vince.

He offered his own swimming pool, his own spa, his own theatre. Vojkovic lived as a wealthy man. With a sudden idea, he said that they would watch Son of Satan, the uncut version.

"The uncut version?"

"The one for public consumption was watered down. This one has not been watered down."

"I suspected there might be something like that," and added, "I'll be interested to see it."

Peter fussed, bringing a couch into a good position for viewing, and then putting on the film, sitting next to Valencio, and inviting, "Put your head on my shoulder, if you like."

Valencio put aside his detachment, and put his head on the shoulder of the big man, and then nestled in a little. He felt warm, and loved. Looked after.

Peter had his arm around his shoulders, and squeezed slightly. This was not just another young man. Peter Vojkovic thought this might be the love of his life. Valencio didn't understand his own feelings. He didn't try to. He'd given in, and was doing just what he felt like doing.

He became totally caught up in the movie as he watched. He'd only watched it once before, at that special screening in the Edinburgh studio. Peter had seen it many times, and watched his companion as much as he did the film. There were not a great many differences to the standard version, just that the nudity was more blatant in several scenes, there had been no editing out of his excitement as he did that scene with Nikole, and he saw for the first time the scene where Jean-Pierre allowed his desire to show as he regarded the perfect body, and then, so gently, touched.

"Erotic," remarked Peter, wanting him again.

Valencio said, "I wonder what would have happened to a man, if he'd had sex with Pandragon."

Peter touched his own semi-erect penis, and said, "Ouch?" But then he murmured, "Come to bed now?"

"After it finishes." Peter squeezed his shoulders again, and waited.

Valencio's eyes were wet, forgetting that it was only acting. Forgetting even that it was only himself, acting. Pandragon faced the fact that he could not live, and lay down to die. Peter left it on as the credits rolled.

He finally said, gently, "Your first movie as an adult. It was a great movie."

"Papacy Scandal is going to be as good. Come and watch, if you like."

"How much longer will you be involved?"

"Probably less than three weeks, Schuster estimates. And the last couple of days are just still pictures for publicity."

"Are you doing any public appearances this time?"

"No public appearances. I don't know what I'll do. I can't go home now. Can't face the women, after throwing it all away."

Peter spoke gently, "Throwing what away, Vince?"

But Valencio was silent.

Peter said, "I start one early next year. I'm a beatup has-been boxer. I have you to thank for looking the part."

Valencio said coolly, "Don't expect me to apologize. Using drugs is a very low act."

"Jean-Pierre made that very clear to me. I was deceiving myself, because it was only a low dose, I thought it didn't count. He hasn't spoken to me since, and I lost a good friend." He kissed Valencio, who still snuggled next to him, contentedly, in spite of the words about a past rape and subsequent assault. "Ready for bed?"

Valencio spoke indifferently, enjoying the effect, "We can have sex again if you want. But I'll sleep at home."

But Peter only pulled him closer, and wasn't surprised when, afterwards, Valencio snuggled into his side, and slept deeply.

For the next several days, Peter stayed as close as possible to Valencio. He had a feeling that Valencio, even while he accepted his lovemaking and allowed himself to be shown off at parties, did not return his love. More and more, he wanted him to return his love.

Tasha sent a letter home to Valencio, just an impersonal note, saying where she was. Stuart was begging her to get a divorce, but Tasha made no moves to do so. It hadn't taken her long to understand that to Stuart, she'd just been a conquest. But it was different now. Stuart was the one anxiously trying to please her. Stuart Dorner was in love.

Tasha accepted his lovemaking, accepted the gifts lavished on her, and didn't know what to do. She had disgraced herself, hurt the man she loved. She could not go home, could not face those who knew her. Could not face those who knew she'd grievously hurt her husband, so much so that he was now openly the companion of the Cossack.

The wrap party, after which the actors would begin to disperse. Valencio told the Cossack he was not allowed to come.

"They don't like you much, especially Ronny and Jorg. They say you've destroyed me."

Peter spoke softly, "Have I destroyed you?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

Cautiously, Valencio didn't drink anything at that party, except some water from a tap, once. There was no opportunity for Kerry Vane to deliver him up for rape by Phil Henderson, two friends, and, of course, himself.

Valencio was escorted home by Ronny and Jorg, who pointed out that the Cossack was not the only predator in the jungle, and besides, they were paid for the rest of the week. Peter waited patiently outside his door, ignored the hostility of Jorg and Ronny, and suggested that he could spend the night at his place for a change.

Valencio shook his head, and said, "You're not even allowed in. This was Tasha's place."

Peter accepted the rebuff, and suggested, "My place then?"

Valencio agreed, only collecting a few items of clothing.

_xchapter endsx_


	37. Chapter 37

9

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling. In this story, Harry Potter is very old, and is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is Bellamy. _

_Chapter 37: This is the final chapter of Valencio's Story, Part 2._

The following morning, Peter regarded Valencio with worry. He was afraid he was losing him. He needed to give more than a bit of sex, for which he seemed less eager every day.

He said, as they breakfasted late, "Remember that whipping scene in Aegean Romance."

Valencio said, "I remember."

"Why did that affect you so much?"

Valencio shrugged, and said, "You know I was Valencio. They didn't always treat me well."

Peter said persuasively, "Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me why they whipped you."

"It was only one week I was whipped. My owner of the time liked variety, and that was his fancy. For the next few weeks, he didn't even hurt me."

"Did they tie you up to be whipped?"

"I was always restrained, whenever used. The whipping was just one incident."

Peter said slowly, "Maybe that's why you never stroke, or respond actively. You were always restrained."

Valencio grinned suddenly. "I offered to give a massage once, persuaded him to free me, persuaded him to turn on his front, then tried to open his carotid artery with a sharp piece of glass. That was probably the most active I've ever been when having sex with a man. It was always just what they did to me. What I couldn't stop them doing to me."

Peter changed the subject. "Have you watched again your earlier movies?"

Valencio thought he was defeated in any case, and no longer tried to conceal himself. He answered indifferently. "I watched Spindrift once, but then spent half the night crying. I'm curious about Summer in Rome. I only saw it once, at the premiere. But it was even worse. I couldn't watch it."

Peter rose, and said commandingly, "Meg will clean up. We'll go now, and watch it. Maybe it will be easier if I'm holding you."

Valencio said, "Meg won't come until this afternoon, will she? I'll tidy a bit, at least."

Peter hesitated, but then went quickly to the small theatre, and flipped through movies. He had all of Valencio's movies, even Marriage Mart, though he'd had to send to England for it. He got it ready, and then hurried back, hoping that Valencio hadn't left. He was unpredictable sometimes. But Valencio was just staring out the window above the kitchen sink, holding a tea towel.

Peter took him in his arms, and squeezed. "Come on. It'll do you good to see it."

"I was chosen because of that movie. A rich and powerful man saw it, decided he'd like the pretty boy, and I lost eighteen years of my life. And I shouldn't complain. There are others lost forty, fifty years of their lives. Tasha lost twenty-six years. Even Inge lost three years, from the age of twelve to the age of fifteen."

Peter said, surprised, "I guessed about Tasha, didn't know about Inge."

"I shouldn't have told you then. Like us all, she prefers it not to be known."

"I won't tell anyone. And I won't call you Valencio any more."

Valencio shrugged, "Everyone seems to know, whether you call me Vince or Valencio."

Over the next few days, held in a comforting embrace, Valencio was shown first Summer in Rome, then the Hundred Year Spell, and finally Spindrift. He talked a little more to Peter, as well. Told him how strong the women were. How he'd gone to pieces, only because he'd found himself alive when he'd thought he was dead. Laughed to him about getting Adil in the eye. "When I discovered I was still alive, there was a different owner. That was the second time. When I recovered from punishment after trying to kill my first owner, there was Adil."

Peter learned not to ask questions, as he'd be answered by a withdrawal, but listened when Valencio talked. It was not always talk of tragedy, though there was always that background. But Valencio laughed to him about his hobbles, and the way that the women had helped him deal with the punishment. And he demonstrated the strike with the restrained right wrist. He even showed him how he'd used to practise with the shard of glass. The innocently open palms when searched, and the casual return to an opened seam in his clothing afterwards. "I'd practise every day, a ritual. Even after I gave up trying to kill them, I would still have gone for Adil, for Faheem, also the one that took me, but they never trusted me, never gave me a chance."

Vojkovic remarked, "Scarcely surprising they didn't trust you."

He showed him something else once. Dived in the pool, arms by his side, and swam underwater, like a porpoise, coming up at the other end, grinning, suddenly looking like a carefree boy.

Peter watched, and laughed with him, afterwards asking, "Exactly how long were you hobbled?"

"About six months. I became almost ambidextrous for most things. I never did learn to write very well with my left hand."

By the time Christmas came, Valencio was almost indifferent to Peter's lovemaking. At a Boxing Day party, he smiled back at a young actress, and Peter watched, resigned, as he went off with her.

Meantime, Narzu-Han fretted. Was his boy being destroyed? Was he in terrible conflict again? He'd always been unstable! Maybe he was on drugs by now, trying to cope with his too strong emotions that way. He couldn't go and see him without Valencio knowing. He'd seen straight through the cloaking spell that time. Instead, he had report after report that said he was apparently content to be the companion of the Cossack. That he showed no signs of depending on drugs or alcohol. That there was no evidence that he was unstable, or deeply unhappy.

Valencio called into his own apartment nearly every day, even though every night was spent in Peter's bed. He still allowed Peter to have sex with him when he wanted. It never hurt him, and Valencio didn't care.

Once, he said pettishly that he had a headache, and Peter desisted.

Valencio was astounded, and sat up, staring at him in surprise, before beginning to laugh, helplessly.

Peter was confused. Valencio finally explained. "I must be free now! It's the first time that any notice was taken of my being a bit reluctant!"

Peter pulled him close, and said, "A bit reluctant! You told me you threatened to kill anyone who did it to you!"

"I only succeeded once."

Peter said tenderly, "You've grown into a very strong man."

Valencio looked at his bedmate in surprise, "I'm not strong. The women were strong. I wanted to look after them, to protect them, but they looked after me. I was never able to protect them."

Peter said slowly, "Is that why you don't want to go home? You're ashamed to face them?"

"I guess. Tasha left me. She said I was too weak, and she needed someone strong."

Peter didn't try and assure him that he wasn't weak. Or that he should not be ashamed. Valencio would leave him soon, he knew. He didn't want to hasten the day.

Narzu-Han studied the transcript of the conversation. His boy thought he was weak. His boy thought that he'd never been able to protect the women. He was very thoughtful that day.

Two days later, Valencio leaned back in a sun lounge besides Peter's swimming pool. He had his hands linked behind his head. It was a cool day, and he was fully dressed. He wasn't surprised when he looked suddenly to the side, and saw Narzu-Han regarding him. He raised his eyebrows, coolly, and said, "John told me to call him if you ever came for me."

Narzu-Han said, "I didn't come for you. Not unless you want me. Just wanted to explain a few things."

Valencio glanced at the house, "You haven't hurt Peter, have you?"

"He's having a nap. That's all. So he won't interrupt."

"Just as arrogant as ever, I see."

"I was concerned. Wanted to know you were not upset. Wanted to know Vojkovik wasn't hurting you."

Valencio still had his hands behind his head, still appeared perfectly casual. He said, "Anything that Peter has done, is minuscule compared to your crimes."

Narzu-Han sat in a chair beside him, and said, "I thought of bringing some date scones, just so you'd listen to me."

Valencio looked back at him, the corner of his mouth lifting in a wry smile. "Such a profound philosophy. Offer good things to eat, and you're trusted!"

Narzu-Han laughed, and said, "You don't know how much I enjoyed our talks."

Valencio asked, in an interested tone, "Are you going to rape me now?"

"Oddly, I thought you'd see me, and you'd want it. Like that time when I used cloaking magic, when you had to go to new enclosures. You saw me straightaway, and wanted me."

Valencio smiled, and said, "I think I might be cured of that. I don't want you. Have no interest in you."

Narzu-Han said, "I have a wife and child now. I don't want you in that way."

Valencio glanced at him, and knew he lied. Narzu-Han very much wanted him.

Narzu-Han tried not to show that he knew Valencio had seen through his pretence. Instead, he said, "You know how you always wanted to protect the women. Thought you were helpless. And now you're unwilling to go back, because you're ashamed to face them."

Valencio stared at the sky, and said, "You're been listening!"

Narzu-Han nodded. "I've been listening. And now I want to remind you of that day, when you went to the new enclosures."

Valencio thought of yawning, but knew that the wizard would not be fooled by the pretence he was not interested. Instead, he sat up, swinging his legs to the side, and asked, "Would you like a drink? Coffee maybe?"

Narzu-Han said, "Yes, Please."

"Why don't you go to the table. I'll bring it out."

Narzu-Han looked after him thoughtfully. This casual, almost indifferent, reception was the last thing that he had expected.

In a corner, silently watching, stood John Bellamy. His cloaking magic was very strong, strong enough that even Narzu-Han was not aware of his presence.

Valencio returned, the two cups of coffee steaming, a plate of cakes. He handed Narzu-Han his coffee, the same way he'd always taken it twenty years before. Narzu-Han thanked him, and accepted a cake. Valencio said, "I just told Meg that there was a visitor, but only for me."

"The servant?"

Valencio smiled slightly, and said, "Call Meg a servant, and you'd be sorry. She's an employee, not a servant."

They drank, silently.

Valencio said, "A lot of the women were armed that day. We thought it a strong possibility that most of us would be killed."

Narzu-Han nodded. "The guidelines laid down for generations said that preferably no more than thirty in Enclosure 2. Nusa'pei said it was the logical time for a cull. Move over only about ten."

"So what happened?"

"He came to see Yiko and myself. We were still protecting you, still concerned that you should be safe. Yiko changed the guidelines, and there were no deaths."

Valencio said slowly, "I don't understand."

"You always felt so dirty, so guilty. It shamed you, that you enjoyed it. It was that quality in you that gave us such pleasure. That quality in you that had us continue our interest. It was that quality in you, that you still seem ashamed of, that saved the lives of most, maybe even all, of the survivors. There were no culls because you would be upset, and maybe go berserk, so they had to put you down. Even before you were put over into Enclosure 2, Yiko gave orders that no new boys be taken, even though there were requests. And no very young girls."

Valencio looked away, taking in the information. He asked, "After Yiko died? And you were gone?"

"Abensur also cared about you. He told me once that he used the threat of my return to silence suggestions that the enclosures should be cleared."

Valencio asked, shocked, _"Both_ enclosures?"

"Abensur told them that if Enclosure 2 was cleared, then the women in Enclosure 1 would be too upset to provide a good service. So the suggestion was made that both enclosures be cleared, and a new lot taken."

"We knew, of course, that we older ones were expendable. None of us thought that the young ones were much at risk."

Narzu-Han nodded. "Abensur did his best for you. And then, of course, there was Brigitta, whom he loved. As I understand from Abensur, Helene and Carol's scheming helped immensely. But without the protection you still had, it would not have been enough."

Valencio said slowly, "It seems a strange way to have protected the women."

"It may not have been the way that you would have chosen, but that you enjoyed the sex, that Yiko and I could feel and share your excitement... The women were protected for your sake."

"When John came, we were freed. I would have preferred to have somehow engineered our escape, complete with the mass slaughter of every bloody wizard there. I couldn't do that of course. But we still wound up free."

"You like John?"

"I admire him tremendously, like him, too. Except of course, when I'm thinking that every bloody wizard on the planet should be exterminated." He glanced at Narzu-Han, and said coolly, "Was there anything else?"

Narzu-Han smiled, "Nothing else."

He would have liked to say how wonderful was his baby girl, but Valencio might remember that his women had all been sterilized. Not a good idea for a topic. Instead, he said, "Your movies. I very much enjoyed your first three. Looking forward to the Papacy Scandal."

Valencio smiled, suddenly throwing off his indifferent coolness. "It's a great movie. One of our guests, David, told me that his wife cried too much when she saw Marriage Mart, that I had to do an action movie next. I suggested they not watch Papacy Scandal, as his wife would cry even more. It has impact."

"What are you doing next?"

"What I'd love to do is a cowboy movie. But my looks are all wrong. If not that, then some sort of a baddie. And yes, an action movie."

Suddenly he was enthusiastic, entertaining, and Narzu-Han stayed long after he'd intended to leave.

After a while, Bellamy silently disapparated, still not noticed by either Narzu-Han or Valencio. Narzu-Han would not harm Valencio. And he would be able to assure Emma and the others that Valencio was alright, and would probably return soon.

Peter woke from his nap, and strolled out, looking for Valencio. Valencio merely greeted him, introduced Narzu-Han Khattak, an old friend, and asked if he'd like him to get more coffee.

There was another of those single page notes from Tasha that day, waiting at the apartment for Valencio. It happened to mention their schedule, where the ship would be for the next week. For the first time, Valencio took note of the signal.

_xdividerx_

The _Belle Chartreusie_ was docked in Rome, where they were to stay for a week. Tasha, Stuart, and a half dozen rich and powerful men and women were in the first class lounge.

Valencio walked in, looked around, and went straight to his wife. He totally ignored the other people, just smiling at his Tasha. He said, "Tash? Time to go home?"

Tasha rose, and walked off with her husband. He put his arm around her shoulders. Maybe Valencio had learned something from the Cossack.

Stuart raised a hand, half rose, and called his protest, "Natasha?"

Tasha didn't hear him.

One of the men clapped him on the shoulder, and said, "Tough luck, old man. But who can compete with that?"

_xdividerx_

Narzu-Han's May report. Andrea. '_There are three new foals, a grey colt, and two brown fillies. Vince and Tasha can be found very often just admiring them. Tasha did very well at Stroud Horse Show, riding Heathcliffe. Margaret came home with ribbons as well, riding Jean-Pierre.'_

Narzu-Han skimmed over the next half page, and decided that he might just mention to Feena that there was no need for quite so much detail about the horses_._

_''There were three weddings, one of their own, Gloria, to a man called Pete, and they're to move into one of the cottages, as soon as they're back from their honeymoon. The other two weddings were of outsiders, and they rode horses. It might have been a novelty the first time, but now it seems it's a fad. The albino they call the Ghost Horse, always carries the bride, and black Andalusians carry the groom, and best man.'_

Valencio! What about Valencio! Instead there was talk about an art exhibition, open to all local artists, including of course, Emma, Connie and Mary. And then finally - '_Vince and Tasha are to go to Hollywood for the premiere of Papacy Scandal, and also he says he's going to audition for a movie about merpeople, because he can do such a good merman impression. He demonstrated when a few of us queried, and he's truly quite amazing. The guests adore him, and he's happy, relaxed and friendly.'_

Narzu-Han put down the report and picked up his little girl, who beamed at him and started bouncing on his knee, ready for a game.

_The end._

_If you have enjoyed this story, it is possible to buy it in paperback from. There are some minor variations to remove reference to anything that belongs to J. K. Rowling, and some minor differences in Part 2, which is called 'A Change of Fortune.' Book 1 is called 'Wizards' Slave.' Both are available from online booksellers. _


End file.
